Blood Seeps From Shadows
by Bobbie1776
Summary: Shadow, the mysterious mate of former leader of Bloodclan, Scourge, grooms her kit, Dread, to be the next leader, and plans her battle against the Clans. Suspicions rise as a new cat enters the Clans, and the daughter of an old friend arises. With distrust and hatred seeping from every crevice, will they survive her attack or die at her claws?
1. Chapter 1

The gory battle still replayed in her mind. The blood-soaked ground she still felt underneath her paws. Oh, the hatred. It burned her eyes. The only that would bring her comfort now was revenge.

She still saw his form, drowning in blood as the fiery-colored cat tore into him. She remembered so clearly. The anguish. The horror. The swollen belly that prevented her from slashing them all down. She licked her lips at the thought of sinking her fangs into their soft necks. She would slaughter a thousand of the Clan cats…if only to bring him back.

But the past was the past. Revenge was at her paws. The blood of Firestar would soon be hers. She would rip into him, sending fur flying. Shadow unsheathed one claw on her black paw, imagining red covering it.

Her tiny kit finished suckling and stared up at her with round eyes. Shadow whispered, "Soon, my little Dread, we shall know vengeance. We shall bathe in the blood of our enemies and we shall sing to the night sky our triumph. Soon…soon."

Quiet lay over the pair as Dread cuddled close to her mother mewling softly. Shadow listened close and laughed. "Quite true, my love. Scourge shall not go unavenged."

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><p>Brick curled her lip. Her recruits were few and even those few were weak, simpering cats, hoping not to provoke her with obsequious praises. She'd set them straight. Sure as Scourge, she would. Her former master had been replaced by his mate, Shadow, after he died in the Battle of Clans. She was one of the few survivors and now she'd have to create new hordes of cats to fight. Shadow had ordained it, so it had to be so.<p>

The deep red she-cat rose her voice and declared, "If I hear another compliment on my pelt, I'll shred your ears! Don't test me!"

The rows of cats straightened and listened closely to her words. "This is the night you prove yourselves. Bring Shadow food. And collect a tooth for your collar! Soon the Clans will regret they ever crossed Bloodclan!"

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><p>Shadow heard Brick's words and quietly cursed the pitiful warriors in her employ. Never the matter. She'd destroy the Clans if she had assassinate them one by one. Dread mewed for milk, and Shadow pushed her towards a suckle with her paw.<p>

_The she-cat slinked along the alleyway, dropping her body and chafing it against the brick. Everywhere she looked, cats were growling and snarling about food. And standing above it all was black cat with teeth hooked through his purple collar. He perched upon a dumpster, watching the chaos intently. Shadow was mesmerized. Was this Scourge? He couldn't have been much bigger than her and she was known as small. When she was known._

_Now Shadow was condemned to the shadows, exiled from what she had always known as her home._

_Shadow slipped and knocked a pebble down the brick alley, causing all cats to turn around and He leaped down and snarled, "Who are you?"_

_And finally, she spoke. "I am Shadow, Daughter of Darkstripe."_

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><p><strong>Okay. Some people may be confused about the timeline. Shadow is Darkstripe's daughter and both are exiled when Darkstripe fed Sorrelkit deathberries. Then, he joins Tigerstar completely and Shadow is sent to be an ambassador to Bloodclan while Tigerstar plans the attack. So it all makes sense. R&amp;R!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**So the wonderful Starburst768 so kindly reviewed my story! ;) Thnx 4 that! Also Thnx 2 Cascada! Her music helped clear BAD case of writers' block! ;)**

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><p>Sandstorm contentedly lay in her nest, letting the cool breeze waft into the bramble-covered bush and waft through her mottled tan-cream fur. She breathed the air in deeply and closed her eyes. A sudden rustle caused her to lift one lid up. It was only Cinderpelt, mouth full of borage.<p>

She stared at the leaves in confusion. "I'm not nursing yet. Why would I need to take borage?"

Cinderpelt dropped her load at Sandstorm's front paws and meowed, "You're so far along, you need to start having them now. They'll be soon."

The young ashen she-cat stared at Sandstorm's swollen belly, as if already assisting her in delivering the kits.

The sandy-colored queen rolled her eyes and pawed the borage.

Sandstorm gingerly pulled the leaves into her mouth and forced herself to swallow the bitter herbs. _Just remember the kits, _she thought._ This is all for them._

She lay her head on her paws and sighed. The only thing she could do was take a nap, since the other queens had left the nursery. The prickly she-cat curled into a ball and let the wind and the warmth drowse her into stupor.

Instead of peaceful dreams of hunting, Sandstorm found herself in the clearing, lit by a silvery glow.

"Why am I here?" She looked around, confused. She'd never been to StarClan before, especially in a dream. It was only precedent for Clan leaders and medicine cats to receive dreams from StarClan.

Her line of vision changed, and the scene moved to the hallowed battlefield where BloodClan fought all the Clans. _Firestar battled, claws raking down a gray tom's back. A strangely familiar she-cat rushed him, and Sandstorm expected him to easily fend her off, but her skill proved to be larger than either of them expected, for she and locked in furious combat. Rolls and dodges, leaps and thrusts, attack after attack, the hissing pair battled. Finally, her reinforced claws slashed down his back and the red tom fell. Sandstorm thought the she-cat would leave him lay to bleed, but she yowled triumph and went for his throat. Fangs hit arteries and the blood pooled out._

_The black she-cat placed a paw in the red liquid and wiped it onto her tail. Her yellow eyes flashed, and suddenly Sandstorm realized who she was. Shadowslink, Darkstripe's daughter! But why? Shadowslink had never had any anger towards the Clans. Even when Darkstripe forced her to come, and the Clans didn't object, the young she-cat had affectionately doted on Sandstorm and the kits all the same. _

_Then a black kit came forth, one eye blue and one eye yellow. Sandstorm gasped. Both cats wore purple collars, and teeth were hooked through the tough Twoleg material. _

Shadowslink had joined BloodClan. But even so, why would she want to murder Firestar? And whose father was the kit's?

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><p><em>"The illustrious ambassador arrives!" He sneered.<em>

_Shadow flattened her fur and hissed back immediately, "And when will the illustrious Scourge show himself?" S__he tilted her head and meowed, "Oh, I'm sorry, you _are_ Scourge! I didn't expect him to be so miniscule!"_

_He stared back at her in disbelief, finally snapping, "And I didn't expect silver-tongued Tigerstar to send a cat with a death wish as his ambassador!"_

_The two glared hostilely at each other. A burgundy she-cat appeared from a hole, and looking alarmed, whispered something to an enormous black and white tom. _

_Shadow furrowed her brow and wondered if she'd gone too far. Scourge looked livid and the scowl he was giving her was not an encouraging sight. _

_He finally narrowed his eyes and growled, "If I wasn't so impatient, I'd kill you right now. But as it is, I've waited far too long for all Tigerstar's protocols and procedures, and I'm not waiting anymore. So you shut your mouth and do your job, and we'll have no problems. Disobey me, and Darkstripe will wake up to find you lying next to him in a pool of blood. Think that over."_

_He whipped around, smacking her in the face with his tail and padding away. _

_She sat down in a huff and muttered, "What a mouse-brained jerk!"_

_"I wouldn't say that, if I were you." It was the burgundy she-cat. _

_"What do_ you _want?"_

_"Nothing."_

_Shadow looked away. "Who are you anyway?"_

_"Brick. Scourge's right-hand she-cat."_

Shadow woke up from the dream to find Dread whimpering. She carefully curled her kit into and ball and pressed her close. Dread's cries soon stopped, replaced by gentle inhales and exhales. Hate filled her. If it wasn't for the infernal Firestar, Dread would be able to curl into Scourge and mewl to him. She composed herself. No matter. She was enough.

The light pooled from the rising sun, illuminating Dread's perfect, silky black fur. Shadow pulled her closer and called to Brick, "Get Moss."

Brick rose from her nest and nodded assent.

Shadow turned her attention to her kit. Dread mewled, "Who's Moss?"

"An...old friend."

_Shadow listened impassively to Jaggedtooth, and nodded. "Of course, I'll tell Scourge."_

_The gray tom padded away, presumably to Tigerclan. _

_"Tell me what?" A cat meowed from the shadows._

_She whirled around and hissed. "Go away!"_

_He raised an eyebrow. "Now is that any way to speak to me?"_

_Realizing it was Scourge, she shrank visibly. _

_He was in a much better mood, she noticed. Not after he heard the news._

_"Tigerstar sends news. He-"_

_"Dog!"_

_Scourge hissed at the approaching creature, standing in a defensive posture in front of Shadow. The dog was a mongrel, with shaggy gray fur falling in front of its eyes. Its teeth were sharp and long. Scourge rushed it and ducked as it bit for his neck. Leaping onto his back, he ferociously bit into its neck. The dog was large, and his opponent small. After a split-second decision, Shadow charged onto the beast. Hanging from its neck, she latched onto the soft flesh._

_It barked in pain and tried to paw her off, but it fell off balance, giving Scourge the opportunity to sink his canines into its major artery. Blood flooded out of the wound, coating their paws and...Shadow didn't mind._

_The feeling of power over life and death was...pleasant. Scourge, panting, confidently strode to its still warm mouth and carefully extracted (with some difficulty) two large teeth. He dropped one at her feet, but she rebuked him doubtfully. "I don't have a collar."_

_He turned to her and mewed, "That can be fixed."_

_She dropped her gaze when he stepped over to her and said, "You're not half bad...for a forest cat, that is."_

_Sarcastically, she replied, "Gee, thanks."_

_Scourge laughed and purred, "No problem."_

Those days were long gone, Shadow thought as the mottled gray tom pierced her sensitive claws with those of a dog's. She would've yowled or flinched, but she had become immune to pain the day she watched her mate drown in his own blood. "All finished," Moss announced with pride.

And now with these claws...she'd return the favor.

Brick nudged her. "Would you mind reminding me why we have to train the recruits?"

Shadow turned a cold gaze to her General. "Because last time we fought the Clans, it was a disaster."

"Your point being?"

"That we need order and precision...like the Clans."

"Why not Scourge's way?" Brick's irritation was apparent.

"And we all saw how well that worked out," Fang pointed out. Fang was Brick's sister, but with cream-colored fur and canines the size of her pads.

The two were Shadow's trusted circle and possibly the most stubborn cats in the world.

"Look, Brick. I know this isn't easy for you. But think. This is for Scourge."

When the she-cat still looked skeptical, Shadow added, "And Bone."

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><p>Sandstorm was frantic. To tell, or not to tell? That was the question. Should she tell Firestar his death was imminent? Or maybe she could tell Cinderpelt? No...the young medicine cat was distraught with Yellowfang's death still. To tell her would put another load of stress on the she-cat's shoulders. She knew Cinderpelt harbored an affection for Firestar that went beyond the normal.<p>

It looked as if this burden was hers for a time.

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><p><strong>Thanks 4 reading! Plz R&amp;R! Also, I am accepting OCs at the moment! <strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**I'd like to thank Flamestar00 for reviewing my story so kindly _and _giving me an amazing OC! ;) Enjoy!**

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><p><em>A black tom slipped the darkness of the night, unnoticed by all cats he passed by. Except one. She followed him, hiding under the shroud of black. They soon left the cobbled streets and pathways of the city and entered the green of forest.<em>

_After a time, Scourge stopped. Shadow emerged from the bramble and meowed, "What are you doing here?"_

_He whirled around, and faintly amused, mewed, "I could ask you the same. Why did you follow me?"_

_"Oh, I don't know...when your leader leaves his den in the middle of the night and travels all the way to the ThunderClan border, you get a mite suspicious. By the way, who are Ruby and Socks? I heard you talking about them in your sleep."_

_His eyes darkened and she guessed, "Not friends of yours?"_

_"No. Actually they're my siblings. When we were kits, they'd tell me nobody wanted me and I would go where all unwanted cats go. In the river."_

_"Ouch."_

_He laughed. "You have no idea." Continuing, he meowed, "Wait! What were you doing by my den?"_

_"Oh, just taking little moonlit strolls that just happened to go on beside your den."_

_"You know, it's never very smart to wander around BloodClan at night. Little kitties like you might get hurt."_

_She giggled then took a more serious tone. "I'd like to think I can defend myself."_

_A brown tabby she-cat peered through a thick brush. She took strolls around ThunderClan most nights, but rarely went this far. It was the voices that drew her. Mousefur nearly yowled at them to leave her territory, but something held her back. _

_He teased, "Well, just because your wee little brain would like to think something, doesn't mean those thoughts come true."_

_She teased back, "Well, just because your wee little brain has demented itself into thinking it's witty, doesn't mean those demented thoughts come true."_

_"Okay, you have to admit mine was better."_

_"Do I?"_

_"Yes. Or I will add your teeth to my collar."_

_"Speaking of collars, I've added two more teeth to mine."_

_"Where'd you get them?" _

_"I killed two dogs. One of them, Brick helped. Because it was enormous. The other, I did by myself. It was pretty small."_

_Mousefur's blood ran cold. These cats talked about killing so nonchalantly. She had no doubt they would kill her without a thought. _

_The conversation had gone on whilst she thought. _

_"Come on, I may have killed him, but that doesn't mean I have double standards."_

_"Does."_

_"Not!"_

_"You do! You killed that tom that sassed you, but not me. And I did a lot more than he did, O illustrious Scourge."_

_"Don't remind me."_

_"So why?"_

_"Why what?"_

_"Why did you kill him and not me?"_

_"Because you're the ambassador and I didn't want Tigerstar to send another one...after intensive training."_

_He said that with a puffy, pompous voice, causing Shadow to erupt in a fit of giggles._

_But Mousefur was not amused. No. She had heard the name 'Tigerstar,' and that was enough for her. She needed to get warriors._

_They, unaware of the impending ambush, continued. _

_"Really, Shadow, you're too sarcastic for your own good."_

_She jerked away from him and said in a hurt voice, "I always thought you liked it." _

_Of course she was joking, but the humor soon drained out when a rustle and whispers of Mousefur's sanity sounded out. Shadow stiffened. Mousefur had always been a mouse-brained busybody. This did not bode well for them. She nudged Scourge and whispered, "Climb into that tree."_

_"Why?"_

_"Do as I say!"_

_The two scrambled up into the tree; just in time, for the warriors poked their heads out from the bushes and sighed. "See, Mousefur? Everything's fine."_

_Shadow whispered, "You'll regret not listening to her..."_

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><p>Swift miserably slashed at Pine. The red she-cat hissed at her, and slashed an unsheathed claw down Swift's side. Red colored her normally white fur, coating the gray and silver patches with blood. She wrinkled her nose at the iron that she now tasted on her tongue. The pain burned and a haze seemed to spread over her eyes. She buckled.<p>

How had it come to this? A mother had refused to part with her kits, sending Brick into a flying rage. The burgundy she-cat would have killed Pine, but Shadow had raised a paw and sneered, "Don't. She could be good entertainment." And of course she chose Swift, confident that even her weakest warrior would defeat the weakened mother.

But Swift had a secret. Something that could never be shared among the ranks of BloodClan. She had never harmed a single living thing. Swift supposed it was only natural to hunt. And maybe even hurt another cat who wished to harm her. But the senseless murder of cats and the separation of a mother and kits. That was something else.

She didn't want to kill Pine. But Shadow insisted a death match. And then, Swift realized, she would never win. When told if she killed Swift, she could live and keep her kits longer, perhaps even become a soldier, the she-cat's dull eyes had burned with a fiery determination. The love of a mother would never lose against her.

Pine surged in for the death wound. Swift couldn't do a thing, weak from blood loss. Shadow screeched, "Stop!"

Pine froze, fangs an inch from Swift's throat. "I'll kill her myself." She glanced at Pine who was glaring benevolently at the black she-cat. "Give her a collar."

Then Shadow's gaze returned to Swift, and the scowl deepened. "How. Dare. You?"

"Madame General..."

"Don't you dare embarrass me in front of all my cats? You should've won! You have shamed BloodClan. And for that...I'll rip out your throat and put your head on a spike."

Swift trembled, cowering beneath the stronger female. "Please don't..."

"Silence, wretch!"

For the first time, Swift felt anger. It was boiling. She stood, still shaking. "No."

Shadow's yellow eyes flashed and she hissed, "Shut up!"

"YOU SHUT UP!" Swift yowled and slashed her claws down Shadow's side.

Shadow stared at the wound in disbelief and snarled. Her own reinforced claws made an enormous gash down Swift's side, but the white and gray she-cat was running. The pain was terrible, but Swift was fast, and enduring. She had survived eight moons with the notorious duo, Brick and Fang, and she intended to survive for a long while more.

The bloody cat reached a river, flowing fast and strong. She was just beginning to lap the crystal clear water, when a cat pounced on her. He snarled something into her ear, but she heard it not. For the she-cat was already slipping into the black of oblivion.

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><p>Sandstorm gasped as Graystripe returned. He was supposed to catch a vole for her, but instead retuned with a blood-covered heathen of a she-cat. Murmurs and mutterings could be heard all around as Graystripe dropped her in a heap beside the fresh-kill pile. Cinderpelt rushed out as soon ash she saw the blood pooling around the cat. "Who did this?" she wondered.<p>

Graystripe shrugged and meowed, "I found her lapping some water by the river and when I pounced on her, she collapsed and went out cold."

Sandstorm peered closer, and felt something coming up from her throat. She'd seen her fair share of blood, but this was beyond anything she'd ever seen before. Blood filled the thick fur of the she-cat and made it sodden. Cinderpelt mewed, "I'm gonna need a moss-ball and some poppy seeds. Some broom definitely, and maybe even burdock. These claw marks are too thick and deep to be cat-made. I suspect an attack from a dog."

Cinderpelt continued sniffing and pawing her patient and continued her analysis. "I think we could gather cob nuts for an ointment. Comfrey root and dock. We'll probably need dandelion for a painkiller. Poppy seeds won't be enough. Goldenrod would be great, but I might use horsetail. Marigold would stop the bleeding...oak-leaf would be too much, nettle might be needed if an infection seems imminent. Sandstorm, do you think I should use garlic or wintergreen?"

Sandstorm stopped eating the vole Graystripe had produced and meowed uncertainly, "The garlic?"

Cinderpelt nodded as Sandstorm remarked, "That's a lot of herbs for one cat."

Cinderpelt whirled around and gasped, "I forgot to give you your borage!"

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><p>Cinderpelt felt the cat was in dire need of medical attention, so she asked for two helpers and chose Brightheart and Graystripe. The two wiped the cat down with wet moss-balls and shared tongues with the patient when the moss-balls had soaked up most everything. Poultices were bound to her wounds with burrs and Cinderpelt had somehow forced the unconscious cat to swallow the herbs she gathered. Dusk fell, and when the patient hadn't woken up, Cinderpelt began to get worried.<p>

The ashen she-cat nudged her patient with the tip of her tail. Screeches rang throughout ThunderClan, and possibly the other Clans as well. The she-cat shivered and shrunk away in fear. Cinderpelt used her most soothing voice and murmured, "My name is Cinderpelt. What's yours?"

"Swift." The voice could barely be heard, but the medicine cat managed. "Swift, where are you from? This is ThunderClan."

Swift's eyes widened. She was pretty, with white fur and silvery patches that streaked throughout her pelt; though her beauty was somewhat marred, due to the atrocious wounds. Her voice was a bit louder as she answered Cinderpelt's question.

"I come from BloodClan."

She stared as Cinderpelt fell to the ground in a dead faint.


	4. Chapter 4

**For those of you have read and followed my other story, 'Living a Lie,' I have to tell you it won't be updated soon. It's not being discontinued, but I'm focusing primarily on this story. I'd like to thank Ravenwing of ThunderClan for giving me an OC. I will not be accepting anymore OCs for a time. I also updated the first three chapters, because I reviewed them, and I found a few mistakes. Enjoy! ;) **

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><p>Swift limped out from the cave where Cinderpelt had treated her. News had spread of her previous home, and the cats of the Clan were sending wary glances her way. A few openly stared at her, hatred burning through their eyes. The most friendly cat was Cinderpelt, who still seemed wary of Swift's origin, but was kind and gentle nonetheless. Some cats padded up to her and interrogated her on BloodClan. Swift became tight-lipped and refused to speak. While Shadow was millions of fox-lengths away, Swift had the irrational fear Shadow would find and kill her if she spilt her knowledge.<p>

Swift curled her tail around her front paws and surveyed the warriors moving around in their normal ways. Brackenfur, a large tom with long legs, deposited large mouthful of prey and snagged a robin. Dappletail, an older she-cat nosed through the pile, till she found a vole and joined him.

Swift stared at the abundant pile of food and twitched her tail as she uncertainly padded to the fresh-kill pile. "Stop right there!" Frostfur, an aggressive white she-cat spat with contempt and hostility.

"Frostfur!" A handsome fiery-colored tom chastised. "You know she has every right to pick from the fresh-kill pile!"

Swift gulped. She had met Firestar a few sun cycles ago, and wasn't very predisposed to liking him. Shadow had always professed him to be a terribly crude tom with no heart or morals, but he proved to be quite the opposite. She had refused to talk to him then. Now, she could manage a sentence. "It's fine. I can go last."

He turned to look at her and said with a queer look, "I need to speak to you."

Swift felt all eyes on her as she followed him. A pair of bright green eyes burned into her. She turned and saw Sandstorm, the only queen at the moment and the mate of Firestar.

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><p>Raven pounced on the mouse, her striking blue eyes bright with anticipation. Barley crowed, "Good catch!"<p>

She smiled, showing sharp teeth and a pink tongue. He smiled sadly back. Today was the last sun they would see each other for a long time. A few sun cycles prior, Ravenpaw, her namesake, had returned from the city with dreadful news. BloodClan was rising again. He died a few suns later, from an infected and untreated rat bite that had plighted him even after a Cutter had captured him, healed most of his wounds, and sent into a Twoleg den, which he promptly escaped. Barley looked as if he was taking it well, but Raven could see his pain. She hid the feeling of loss from her father as well as he hid it from her.

Ravenpaw had insisted one of them go undercover to BloodClan and infiltrate it. Barley would have gone, but Raven refused to let him. She knew of his and Violet's history and knew Brick of Fang would recognize him; Ice and Snake would most definitely, though she didn't know if they were still alive.

So in a few hours, Raven would set off for the Clans. She would first talk with Firestar and then travel to BloodClan, reporting moonly. They had it planned out perfectly. There was one problem. Things never turned out the way should've. Ravenpaw shouldn't have died when he had received Twoleg medicine. BloodClan shouldn't have risen again with the little to none resources. There was another player in this game, and Raven was determined to unmask them.

But her departure was imminent, and she could muse to herself of these dark and shadowed affairs on the road. "Good bye Barley," she heard herself say. Nothing seemed real as he nuzzled her and she turned around to begin her travels, and for the first time, leave her father. She walked out of the hay-filled barn and stared at him. "I may not survive this, Father."

He nodded and it was only when he thought she couldn't see him that he began crying. But she saw. She saw everything.

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><p>Shadow hissed in anger as Moss laid a poultice onto her leg. He assumed it was in pain she cried out and soothed, "The pain will go away."<p>

She slashed her claws inches from his nose and spat, "I'm not hissing because it hurts, you mouse-brain! I'm hissing because of that insolent soldier...Swift was it?"

"Yes, Madame General." Moss murmured, pawing at his face to make sure it escaped unscathed.

"She'll be right in line after Firestar. And when she is...I'll put her through a world of pain..." The black she-cat flexed her claws menacingly. The tom shifted uncomfortably.

Brick leaped up to Shadow's "throne" and purred, "Pine is proving to be a better warrior than Swift ever was. I don't see why you're so worried."

Shadow whirled around and snapped incredulously, "You just don't get it, do you?"

Brick shrugged as Fang jumped to join her sister. Moss tentatively ventured, "Frankly I don't get it, either."

Shadow sighed, and seemed to deflate; her anger gone, replaced by fatigue. "Of course you don't. You don't understand politics...and neither do they. Swift's rebellion sparked something in them, something dangerous. If we let her go unpunished, the others may begin to think. Thinking leads to ideas, and ideas lead to tiny acts of impudence, and eventually, rebellion."

Her circle exchanged glances; and nodded. Something seemed to dawn on Shadow, and a dark look spread over her. Her eyes were narrowed, cruel and terrible. Brick gasped, never had the black she-cat looked more like Scourge. The only difference was Shadow's startling yellow eyes and lack of white on her paw and tail. But that expression...nothing had ever looked more evil. Shadow growled deeply, "Does Swift have any known relations?"

Fang nodded slowly.

Their leader's voice turned silky. "Who? I'd like to pay them a little...visit."

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><p>Willow, a silvery cat with a patch white streaking across her side opened one eye as a meow sounded at the entrance to her den. "Coming!" She stretched and slowly padded out of her nest. A she-cat with cream-colored fur and enormous fangs mewed, "Are you Swift's mother?"<p>

She uncertainly answered, "Yeeesss..."

The she-cat grinned cruelly and snarled, "Your daughter was lucky to join regiments, and you were lucky she survived so long. But guess what? Your luck just ran out." She lunged at Willow, letting the mother's screeches and yowls ring before her head was slammed into the pavement.

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><p>Raven hissed as the rogues circled her. She wished she'd never accepted the mission. But Ravenpaw was her first love, and she knew even if she had known of the danger, she'd have done it. For him.<p>

A gray tom was the first to attack. There were three of them; one of her. The other two were identical yellow tabbies with no tails. They didn't look as if they'd been torn off in battle though, which puzzled her exceedingly.

He pinned her down. Raven could feel his hot breath on her neck. He purred in her ear, "I might just take you home, sweetheart."

Raven didn't know what a sweetheart was, but she didn't like it. She went limp, and waited for him to relax his grip. He did, promptly.

She forced herself to purr, "What's your name?"

"Ash."

"Well Ash." She spoke in honeyed tones. "I ain't nobody's sweetheart and I don't intend to be!"

She kicked him with her back legs and used his momentum to switch their positions. The tabbies attacked her, pulling her off as she clawed furiously at Ash's face. "You little she-cat wench!" He snarled as blood dripped from his cheek. "Hold her down."

The tabbies snickered and whispered in Raven's ear, "I always love this part."

Ash lowered his fangs to her exposed neck and prepared to sink them in, when force pulled them off her. Blood spewed around her and she closed her eyes in an attempt to avoid watching the gruesome scene. When the flurry of yowls, screeches and hisses subsided she opened her eyes. The only thing left of her attackers were bloody piles of pulp, unrecognizable. Her savior was a black and white tom with specks of red flecked all on him.

"Look, I'd thank you, but it'd be awkward."

He shrugged and said, "If you want to thank me without making things awkward, help me lick this off."

"That's not awkward?"

He waved his paw, apparently exasperated. "Just do it, okay!"

She laughed and meowed, "I guess I do owe you one."

"I'd say three...but, you know, whatever."

She flicked her tail over his mouth and began to lick the blood of him. He sighed and murmured, "You know, in BloodClan only the top soldiers get to have mates and show public displays of affection."

Raven recoiled. He hung his head and snapped, "One of those prejudiced cats, are you?"

"No!"

"Then why do you suddenly find me repulsive?"

She opened her mouth to answer, but came up with nothing.

He turned away bitterly and began to stride away, when she called, "I want to join BloodClan! The Clans have met me before. They think I'm some rogue who has Clan roots. I could be of use as a double agent!"

He turned back, skeptically. "I'm Bludgeon, by the way."

She smiled back and mewed, "I'm Raven."

Raven silently cursed herself. She should've gone by a false alias.

"Well, Raven, you'll like it at BloodClan. I'd better explain why everyone looks at me, before you start looking at me weird, too."

She glanced at him curiously.

"My father's name is Bone."

* * *

><p>"Swift." Firestar stared at her intensely. "You need to tell me what you know."<p>

Swift squirmed under his gaze. "I can't tell you everything..."

"Then tell me something!" He sighed.

"BloodClan. It's rising."

"What?" He gasped. "No, they were defeated. How?"

"New leader. New allies. New recruits."

"Who's the leader?"

"Can't tell you."

"Why?"

"It goes to my grave. Literally."

"Ookay.. Allies?"

"Don't know. I wasn't high level clearance."

Firestar shook his head. "They didn't have clearance and protocol. They didn't have training. They fought like mongrels."

"Actually, the new leader saw fit for a change."

"Well what about the recruits?"

"We have a new way for that."

"And?"

"I can't tell you."

Getting up, he stretched. The tom sighed and meowed, "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Then we have nothing more to say?"

She shook her head.

"Thanks for your time, anyway."

Graystripe stood and led her out.

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><p>Raven trudged through the slush. It was reaching leaf-bare and the icy rain the night before had not been helpful. She made a snort of disgust as one paw sunk in a pile of black sludge. She glanced at Bludgeon, who seemed unaffected by the nasty weather. In fact, he seemed used to it. She resigned herself to long, and terrible, walk ahead of her.<p>

They eventually made it to grass, which Raven welcomed, albeit sparse in number. She licked a fleck of snow of her shoulder and looked up. Snow! The white powder flew around in the wind, landing on her nose. The tom walking beside her sniffed, "Snow gives me allergies."

Raven remarked, "Well, it's a lot better than walking in that nasty ice."

"I suppose."

After he said who his father was, their conversation grew frigid, much like the chilly temperature. Most of the time, she walked behind the black and white, her eyes on his tail, which was a very strange burgundy color. "We're here," he announced. Raven looked up and gasped at the sight. Enormous Twoleg dens rose up in the distance. A fog covered most of it, but the impression still remained. Bludgeon proudly sat beside her and flicked his tail on her open mouth. "Welcome to BloodClan."

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><p><strong>Did any of you get my little hint in Raven's first POV? 'Shadow'ed? I kind of fore'Shadow'ed huh? Ok, dumb authoress shutting up now. Anyway you'll notice this was a longish chappie, I wanted to get at least 2,000 words in. Yours truly has been cranking the story out, so she expects an awesome review. R&amp;R! Plz! I mean, on my knees, begging you plz! ;)<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**I'm sooooo sorry I haven't updated; I went on vacation to a place that has absolutely no Wi-Fi! Anyway, enjoy!**

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><p>Willow groaned in agony. She blinked to find herself lying face-down on a No-fur's alley, a burgundy she-cat she recognized as Brick and the other, Fang, the cream-colored she-cat that had attacked her the last time she had been conscious, holding her on the cold stone, sneers etched into their eerily identical faces. Willow didn't know if she had been out longer than a few hours, but she knew if the new Lieutenant of the recently established Fangs, who had declared war against the Forest Clans was personally there, she was in trouble. She had tearfully shared tongues with her daughter as a black tom recruiter noiselessly ushered Swift away to serve, as was, as she had been informed, required among the families who had not paid a tribute to Shadow, the Madame General and Scourge's mate.<p>

A black cat, who, Willow realized, was definitely Shadow, stood before her, lip curled in contempt and scorn flashing in her eyes. The yellow orbs, flecked with a darker color terrified the queen, for they were filled with cold, unfeeling cruelty. The evil seemed to ooze out of Shadow's every breath. Willow felt her throat constricting as she stared fearfully at the black queen.

Crowds of cats sat round her, and the silvery she-cat gulped, for most gatherings like this were executions. Shadow spoke, "Willow, I believe you know why you are here?"

"I'm afraid I don't…"

"Well, be afraid, because what is happening here tonight will not be pretty."

"Why am I here?" She responded, voice barely more than a whisper.

Shadow turned, black tail swishing and gleaming in the moonlight pooling from the dark sky above. Willow turned her head to the stars and meowed, stronger this time, "Why am I here?"

The black she-cat uttered a guttural hiss, "Because of Swift, that insufferable little pile of fox dung!"

She cringed. Trembling she attempted to appease the dark queen's rage by meowing softly, "What did she do, if I may ask...?"

Shadow whirled, and snarled fiercely, "This!" She revealed a bandaged wound down her side. "Your sniveling, pathetic, weak, little daughter had the nerve to do this!" She raked a claw down Willow's face and breathed, "She humiliated me in front of all! And for that...I'm taking away the thing she values most...you."

Her mouth agape, Willow attempted to inch back, Fang growled, "Do that again, why don't you?"

A piercing pain struck her paw. It was Brick, squeezing her claw and pulling it. Blood spattered her face, but the red barely showed on the crazed she-cat's burgundy fur. The silver queen screeched and squirmed as the pain became even more brutal and her sensitive claw was ripped from her blood-soaked paw. Shadow stepped forward, and giddy, disturbing smile on her muzzle. "You're not used to pain, are you Willow? But I am. I have dulled my senses after the insidious Clans killed Scourge. Nothing can cause me pain. Not anymore... But you... You are weak, just like Swift. She couldn't even kill a kittypet. Pine? Would you like to introduce yourself?"

A red she-cat stepped forward, mouth opened in a snarl. "Not a kittypet anymore. I'm Pine. I near killed Swift. Now, I kill you."

Willow's blue eyes widened in alarm and she screamed, as all four she-cats converged on her, ripping her into pieces, tearing into her and letting the blood flow. When she finally lay, unrecognizable, Pine did what she had become renowned for. She lapped the blood from the warm corpse while Shadow crowed, "Let this be a day we _all_ will remember! This is what happens to my enemies!"

The roar of the Fangs was a cacophony, a sweet sound to the Madame General's ears. Her reputation had been restored, and what was more, if she ever saw Swift again, she'd be able to regale the young ex-Fang with the gruesome tale of Willow's demise. Her cackle rose above the loud din and curled into the air, a dreadful reminder to the cats who opposed her of her absolute power.

* * *

><p>Swift peered into the water. The gurgling river tumbled and twisted over the many rocks and pebbles, rushing and churning, the sun bearing down upon it and making the most beautiful patterns and colors in the brook. Green and blue and gray colored it, white froth capping the larger rapids. The white she-cat sighed and stared at her reflection. Streaks of silver patterned themselves on her fur, and she wondered if it was attractive. She had never thought about her looks before. In BloodClan, your looks were trifles, unimportant. The only part of their appearances that mattered were their scars and their collars. Swift laid down beside the rushing stream, letting the sun warm her back and the breeze stirred up from the waters cool her front. She drowsily remembered Firestar. Why was he so intriguing? Why did she always think of him?<p>

_Now, Swift,_ she reminded herself. _He has a mate. And besides, why would such a brave and thoughtful tom want a shy, pathetic rogue like her? She had sworn to never love when she joined the Fangs' ranks. Love got in the way. Only high rank officials could have mates and kits, and even they shied from that, preferring blood to love._

The she-cat flexed her paw and wondered if she'd find love. After all, she was an ex-Fang, right? She shook her head and spat to herself, "I will never have a mate. No one loves me. And never will."

The branches swayed peacefully around her, and she was closing her eyes to sleep, when a loud crash jolted her out of the stupor. It was a cat. He had slipped off the branch he was perched on, and fallen hard to the ground, with a resounding thud.

She gasped, "Firestar! Are you okay?"

He groaned and nodded.

"Wait! Were you listening to me the whole time?"

He gingerly pulled himself up and bashfully murmured, "Um. Yeah. What was all that stuff about no cat ever loving you?"

He curiously stared at her as a furious blush snaked over her cheeks. "Er. Um. Nothing?"

"Was that a question or an answer?"

"I don't know?"

He sighed and licked his ruptured shoulder, which had a little trickle of blood oozing from it. She cringed and instinctively licked it as well. She muttered, embarrassed, "We'd better get you to Cinderpelt. I only know that you need some cobwebs. I slept the time I was in her den."

Firestar protested, "Hey! I'm fine. We shouldn't waste herbs on me..."

Swift gently pushed him into the woods and left Sunningrocks behind for the gloom and dark of the cool camp.

* * *

><p>Sandstorm yawned and pushed her way out of the nursery. Her belly had grown, and it was even more difficult to get around. She saw a flame-colored tom walking purposefully and her heart jumped. He looked so gorgeous in the sunlight that pooled from the canopy above. She began to waddle to him, when another cat padded out of the sparse foliage. It was Swift, that rogue who had arrived a few suns ago. She gazed after Firestar, who, Sandstorm now noticed, was limping, in such an affectionate and a longing manner, it could mean only one thing.<p>

Sandstorm nearly screamed. This had to be the fourth cat who loved him. Herself, Spottedleaf, Cinderpelt, and now Swift! She stared hatefully at Swift, hatred covering her eyes in a red haze. She was his mate! She was pregnant with his kits! And still, yet another she-cat chased after him. At least Cinderpelt could keep her emotions hidden, well, mostly. She forced herself to walk stiffly back to the nursery and groaned inwardly. He needed her. She had to tell him. Shame flooded her. How could she so righteously hiss of his wrongdoings, when she was lying to him of her vision?

She paced in furious thought. Sandstorm had to tell him. It was her only option.

* * *

><p>Bludgeon peeked back. They had been traveling for a few hours and the sun had baked the bricks into what was surely lava to her paws. Raven trudged behind him, resentment and anger pouring off of her. She would speak to Shadow, to try and convince the Madame General she was a 'double agent.' Even he was skeptical. It seemed so...crazy. How could he be the one to find a cat who had connections with the Clans and a hatred for them? It was too good to be true, as far as he was concerned, but maybe Shadow would think otherwise. He had an obligation to at least try. They needed a spy, and if Raven was who she said she was, this could be an excellent asset.<p>

Raven looked stunning the sunlight, the rays transforming her glossy black coat into a rippling blue masterpiece. Bludgeon shooed all thoughts of her beauty out of his head. She could be an imposter. A snitch.

He pounded forward as soon as he saw the blood. A cat, or what remained of it, was lying in a pool of blood. Cats lounged about, causally licking themselves, either completely oblivious, or just uncaring. Shadow was lying close to the corpse, smirking as Fang kicked the body to a better vantage point. His mother, Brick was whispering something to Shadow, blood coating one paw, and spattering her face. She seemed unconcerned of the red on her burgundy fur.

Bludgeon padded to the body and stepped over it, his attention directed toward Shadow. She was regaling Brick with tales of a murder that had been completed. He carefully tilted his ears in just a way so that he could hear the conversation. "And of course I spat, 'Not today dog.' It was a smart dog, and it understood my language. It was a pitiful fighter, though. Which really proves intellect is lesser than brawn. Anyway, I cut it on its side and then when it licked its wounds, I got its exposed neck. It had nice teeth. Look."

With that, Brick peered to Shadow's collar and remarked, "That is a nice tooth. It's a canine, right?"

Shadow nodded and gave a smile at her prize; a smile that was wiped away the instant she saw Bludgeon. "Madame General, I went hunting for recruits...but I came back with one. Her name's Raven, and she says she could be of value...as a spy."

Shadow jerked her head sharply to Raven and spat, "Is she legitimate?"

He shrugged and continued, "I don't know, actually. In my opinion, it's tad too good to be true, but if you want a little word, I'll bring her over." He tried his best to sound cold, and unattached, for the black she-cat was hypersensitive when it came to him. She harbored some mistrust, perhaps even fear, towards him. Bludgeon didn't know why but he didn't really care. Shadow whirled towards the cat in question and charged at her.

* * *

><p>Raven stayed perfectly still, but her eyes didn't. They flashed a warning. Her eyes burned with hatred as she glared at the insane murderess who had undoubtedly caused Ravenpaw's death. He had gasped, "It was BloodClan," the minute he limped back to the barn.<p>

"Now," Shadow spat, "Are you the little snitch?"

The black she-cats stared at each-other for a moment, Raven's blue eyes narrowed, Shadow's yellow ones the same.

Raven circled the leader, then stopped. "I'm as much a snitch as you are a sadistic murderer."

Shadow raised an eyebrow and growled, "I'll admit it. My paws aren't anything close to clean. How do I know I can trust you, snitch?"

"My father...and my mate were murdered. By the Clans. I fabricated a story so I, too, wouldn't be slaughtered." She silently thanked Ravenpaw for being such a dramatic and teaching her to lie. She made her voice thick with emotion, and it seemed to work.

The leader of BloodClan turned and meowed, "Intriguing...tell me, who was your father? And your mate?"

She wracked her brain and finally hissed, "Snake. My father was Snake. And as for my mate, that is for my ears and my ears alone."

"Snake? As in Violet and Barley's brother?"

"Yes."

"If you're to prove to me you are legitimate, tell me, who was Snake's other brother?"

"Ice."

"Only one of Snake's family would know that...take her to the Clans. Tomorrow is a Gathering, if I'm not mistaken. That will be the perfect time for you to step forth and reveal yourself..."

Raven breathed a sigh of relief, but soon another wave of exhaustion washed over her. And with it, grief. Ravenpaw would never again lick her on her ear and theatrically act out scenes from the tales of the Clans. He'd never again catch a mouse and present it to her. She'd never have the joy of listening to him as he regaled her with the stories he'd pass on to her from the many travelers who padded by. Bludgeon passed her and pressed his pelt to her, eyes dark with sympathy.

She recoiled and spat, "I don't need your pity!"

He watched, dumbfounded as the distraught cat struggled to hide the fresh well of emotions pouring from her. Shadow glanced impassively at Raven's teary face and shrugged, disregarding the she-cat who she had just reluctantly welcomed to the Clan.

Raven pounded away, the fact that she was inches from the insidious Shadow and didn't rip into her jugular tearing into her heart. Ravenpaw was dead because of the evil cat. And Bludgeon was no different. He hadn't even reacted when he saw the blood-covered body. She calmed herself down and tried to fin her center. _One, two, three. _This was for him. For Ravenpaw. Revenge would be hers. All good things come to those who wait.

* * *

><p>Swift winced as the Cinderpelt slathered a salve all over his shoulder and said, "It's not a bad cut. Some cob nuts, you'll be fine."<p>

The quiet she-cat shivered as she thought of the callous way the medicine cat had reviewed Firestar in. How could the sight of his blood not bother her? Wasn't a medicine cat supposed to care about the Clan leader above all else?

Firestar padded away, leaving the two alone. It wasn't until Swift saw the longing look on Cinderpelt's face that she understood. The crippled she-cat loved Firestar. She loved him, and she tried so hard not to appear to, she ended up looking as if she disliked him. A sudden rush of jealousy overwhelmed her. She wanted to know him the way Sandstorm and Cinderpelt did. She wanted to see him doing whatever it was he did, and she wanted so badly to be apart of his life, even if it was only a little bit.

Cinderpelt broke the silence by awkwardly remarking, "He's a tough cat, isn't he?"

Swift nodded, but felt too miserable to answer. She hurried out of the den, leaving a bewildered Cinderpelt behind, but taking the pieces of her broken heart. "Why?!" Her screeches rang out, scaring the crows out of their nests and sending the cats around in a mile radius running in fear.

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><p>Shadow stared at Bludgeon, hidden in a dark crevice. He was a menace to her and Dread. If Brick wasn't a vital part of the attack, she'd kill him on the spot. If he got notions, StarCl- no-Scourge forbid, he might take action and that was something she could not allow. She'd done her best to slip little subliminal messages in whenever she talked to him, and in her head she silently willed him to leave, or even better...die in a little hole somewhere. At the moment she was invigorated with the thrill one only gets after a kill.<p>

Shadow was in a much better mood, but if she was going to win this war, she'd have to get rid of this threat. Once and for all.

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><p><strong>If any of you can figure out what themes this story has, kudos! Plz R&amp;R to tell me what you think those themes are! There are multiple, so its easy! Thnx for the support! ~ Bobbie ;)<strong>


	6. Chapter 6

**First off, thnx 4 the reviews.**

**blackclaw57 - Scourge is a god to BloodClan, yes. I just lost the use of an OC, so both of your OCs will be used! Thnx 4 reviewing! ㈴6**

**Flamestar00 - Yes, those are themes! Thnx 4 reading! I know, I am always super-sad when I write those scenes. ㈶6 **

**Another thing, there were six acceptable themes. They were jealousy, love (which Flamestar00 got! ㈴1), power, hatred, blood, and evil. **

**Plz read, review, favorite and follow! And leave out that Oxford comma! (Weird Al 'Word Crimes' reference)**

**I'd also like to apologize for any rough writing here, I'm having a severe case of writer's block! Plz use constructive criticism, flaming is cruel and unjust!**

**I also spent forever researching the exact words for ceremonies and everything, so plz enjoy!**

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><p>Swift listened as Firestar ticked off all the things on his list. "I organized the patrols, I marked the borders, I took care of the vixen and her cubs...anything else?"<p>

He glanced at her while she, desperate to be of help, wracked her brain. She stood up and meowed uncertainly, "You could...visit Sandstorm?"

The fiery tom brightened visibly and purred, "With greencough weeding out my warriors, I've had so much to do, and I've been so busy I didn't have time! Thank you, Swift. Perhaps you will be an apprentice soon."

She flushed. She was almost fully grown, did she _need_ to be an _apprentice_? As far as Swift was concerned, the apprentices got all the worst jobs.

Firestar padded away, leaving a crestfallen Swift behind. She miserably thought of him. His caring and concern for her was sweet and kind, but the love in his voice as he talked about his mate was hot and passionate. Beautiful...why was she cursed with love? How had it even happened?

She drooped and walked sadly to the river. Its rippling movements and rhythmic thumping usually calmed her, but today they just seemed to mock her for her foolishness.

Swift collapsed, tears pooling from her face and dropping into the water. She choked, hiccups amplifying her poignant pain. A gentle voice called, "Why so sad? Tonight is the Gathering, your first, I believe."

She looked up, eyes dripping with the salty droplets. A handsome young tom stood on the other side of the border, gray pelt blazing in the sun. She halfheartedly hissed, "Leave me alone, y-you mangy flea-pelt!"

He tutted mockingly, "Watch it, little ThunderClan she-cat, or this nasty flea-pelt will send out his bugs."

She rose, enflamed by his taunt, and spat, "Why don't _you _watch it, little lily-livered RiverClan tom?"

Taken aback, he shut his mouth sharply.

She continued, "That's much better. I like you when you're quiet. It quite improves your look."

His eyes narrowed and he growled, "Why don't you give it a try? It might make you look less like a scruffy rogue."

The two glared at each-other, then suddenly burst out laughing. Suddenly a cheerful voice chirped, "Hey Stormfur!"

He whipped around and ran to greet a beautiful soft gray she-cat. "Hey Feathertail!"

The two twined tails and nuzzled. Swift hissed. How unchivalrous was this cat to flirt with her, then turn around and show his affections to his (possible) mate?

She turned and padded away as Feathertail glanced at her and meowed, "Who's she?"

Stormfur shrugged and murmured, "I don't know."

She pounded away, fear filling her. She wasn't supposed to fraternize with other cats. Firestar had given her the rules. She should've known better. The young she-cat wearily walked back into camp. She turned her head uncomfortably as a pair of green eyes bored into her. Sandstorm stiffly got up and waddled to Swift. The queen was angry, that much the ex-Fang could tell.

"Why don't you just go? No one wants _you_ here. Not even Firestar. You're just a nuisance for him." The fierce she-cat shoved her aside and stormed off. Swift stumbled in shock and stared after the furious queen. Why did she hate her?

* * *

><p>Raven trembled as the cats surrounded her. One of the cats particularly alarmed her. He had green and yellow fur. She screeched as he wandered toward her, mumbling strange things such as, "My mummy was nice to me. Are you my mummy?"<p>

Bludgeon pressed his pelt against hers and whispered, "That's only Glaze. He's insane. The No-furs dyed his fur. I don't know why, but it refuses to come off, and no one really wants to get near him."

A dark tom passed her and she shuddered as his fierce amber eyes stared into her own. He opened his mouth to show deadly fangs and snarled, "The new purdy kitty come ter play, eh?"

Bludgeon hissed and spat, "Nothing you need to concern yourself with, Dark. Go away and mind your own."

As the tom passed he raked his eyes over Raven and whispered, "Bye, kitty."

The tom beside her snapped his jaws down and yowled, "Do as I say! Leave!"

Dark growled, "Mark my words, Bludgeon. One day you're goin' down. And I ain't the one who's gonna save ya."

"That was obviously Dark. He's one of Shadow's favorites, Scourge knows why. He's a creep, if there ever was one."

The black she-cat stopped when she saw a limping she-cat, with scratches running down her face. One eye was left pale and motionless, clouded and disabled. Her sleek brown coat was marred by the patches of bare skin wounds had undoubtedly produced. A mangled paw set itself down stiffly. One claw had been completely torn out, the others sticking out at odd angles. The paw was, as a whole, disjointed and appeared to be useless.

The black and white tom beside her lowered his voice and whispered, awed, "That, my friend, is Abby. She's renowned for her prowess in battle. She make look disabled, but she's still got it. I heard Scourge, bless his name, considered her as a mate."

Raven glanced at him, confusion written on her features. He laughed incredulously and asked, "You think that's strange?"

She shrugged and muttered, voice hoarse, "Maybe."

A mocking drawl interrupted them. "So the new kitty cat speaks! Impressive..."

It was a gray tom with heavy dark gray spiral patterns and stripes marking him. Enormous claws protruded from his paws, something that most cats she had seen so far had. "My name is Moss. I deal with the medicine here."

His solemn green eyes bore into her. She shifted uncomfortably, but it was Bludgeon who saved her from the awkward moment. "So," he meowed shortly, "What brings you here?"

The tom slowly turned his head and drawled, "Awww, are you protecting your little mate?"

He growled, "She's _not _my mate."

"Of course," he sneered back. "Methinks the tom doth protest too much."

Continuing, Moss snarled, "As it happens, the illustrious Shadow sent me to bring Raven in preparation. She wants a word with you, Bludgeon. I can assure you, it won't be pretty."

Bludgeon composed himself and lashed his tail as the pair followed the snarky tom to Shadow.

* * *

><p>Shadow laid on her perch, eyes narrowed in hatred as she glared at Bludgeon. Raven had been led away a few minutes ago to "prepare" for the gathering, and Shadow had been left alone to deal with the pest.<p>

_She stared at him, and watched as Bone and Brick nuzzled. Brick opened her paws and there was a tiny kit. Shadow gingerly placed her jaws around the feeble kit. Instantly she felt an overwhelming instinct to crush him. This kit was an abomination! A horrendous occurrence that never should've been born...She angrily dropped him to the ground and felt a vicious pleasure as he squeaked in pain and surprise. Brick, horrified, curled him next to her and allowed him to suckle. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to," Shadow lied._

_Bone scowled at her; he knew it was a lie, but he couldn't call her out. Scourge would kill him. Literally. Shadow narrowed her eyes and silently planned his death. She'd pick a valued warrior, someone who would incite more anger if slaughtered than any other. After that, the Clan's adrenaline would allow them to tear him into shreds, but they were no match for Scourge's army. And she'd find a way to murder the little kit...his life would be an easy steal. Stolen from his nest, bitten by a snake, crushed, merely wandered away, she'd find it the cure._

_A cure...to a slight setback._

Bludgeon hissed, "Why did you call me?"

"Reports from Dark and Moss that have revealed you have undesirable feelings for a certain she-cat have greatly alarmed me," Shadow spat.

He challenged, "I thought high officials were allowed to raise families...unless you're going back to the old way, of course."

She recoiled and growled, "No. I'm changing the policy. Everyone can have kits...at a price. At the age of five moons the cats must give away their kits to my Fangs. They will be trained, and hopefully it will fluctuate the ranks."

He raised an eyebrow and meowed in a more respectful tone, "Why is my...affinity controversial?"

"When I said everyone, I meant, only the lower class cats. Love clouds our judgments and as the leaders, we must have clear unbiased opinions. Kits will only get in the way."

"What about your precious Dread?" He spat.

She turned and snapped, "I am raising an heir. A legacy. You! You have no right to my position! Therefore your kits would have no use but to pool your heart with soft love and affection." She took a deep breath and continued.

"You have your father's build but your mother's agility. This and the fact that I value Brick and Fang's service, is the only reason I did not kill you in your sleep moons ago!"

Bludgeon whirled and stormed away, anger seeping from his every breath. Adrenaline coursed through him, and before the cats milling around Shadow's throne had time to react, he pounded away out of the alley and into the No-Fur's domain.

A dark tom followed him, amber eyes glowing with malice.

* * *

><p>Raven trembled as Glaze approached her. "Mummy. Mummy. Why'd you leave me, Mummy?"<p>

A small she-cat jumped in front of the cowering black she-cat and snarled, "Glaze, she's not your mummy."

Glaze muttered, "My mummy is here, somewhere."

He padded away, murmuring nonsense and gibberish.

"Who are you?" Raven stared at her savior.

Cream fur ruffling, the she-cat smiled, "I'm Crescent."

"Thanks, by the way."

"No problem."

"I feel really stupid now. This is the second time someone has saved me in two suns."

"Well, don't mention it."

"My name's Raven, by the way."

Crescent flipped the fluffy fur growing abundantly on her and grinned. "So I've heard. Aren't you the snitch?"

Raven, taken aback, said, "Did she tell everyone that?"

"Oh yes."

The two she-cats padded away in companionable silence. It was rather awkward, but the pair soldiered through it. The black "snitch" spoke first after the first few minutes.

"Crescent, how are there so many cats in BloodClan? Tales I heard illustrated it as...small."

"That information is shared only with the most trusted of all officials," the other cat replied curtly. Distaste colored her voice as she continued, "Dark is one of those officials, Scourge, bless his name, knows why."

"Why does everyone say that?"

Raven half expected Crescent to evade her questions once more, but the rebuttal was not forthcoming.

"Scourge is our god, our holy creator reborn." Reverence dripped from her tone, and her companion found herself appalled. Was this what they believed?

They walked along the alleys for another while, both lost in thought. Finally they arrived to what Crescent called her "pad." They settled onto piles of No-Fur material that was soft and fluffy like mother's belly. Raven purred as the comfy nest drowned her in warmth. But the pleasantries did not last long, as Raven harbored an inquisitive nature, and her curiosity got the better of her.

"Why do you believe Scourge is your god?"

Crescent blinked, round-eyed, and shrugged, saying, "Shadow told us. Shadow is our supreme ruler. She is the Madame General and her word is law. Scourge died for us, washing away our sins. Now we shall have revenge on the Clans of the Forest for his

Raven turned her head away and pondered on this. She curled into a ball, still thinking, and promptly went to sleep, warmth luring her into a drowsy stupor.

* * *

><p>Swift listened as Firestar recited the words that would make her into an official apprentice. All eyes were on her, causing her to tremble. She hated attention and she hated talking loudly as she was required.<p>

Firestar meowed, "Swift, you have passed the age one normally joins as an apprentice. But finally you have gained trust, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Swiftpaw. Your mentor will be Brightheart. I hope Brightheart will pass down all she knows on to you."

He rested his muzzle on her and she licked him. It sent shudders through to be so close to him. A fiery passion as bright as his pelt was growing. If only she could quell it, stop the odious love which Shadow had warned her of.

He turned to Brightheart and continued, "Brightheart**, **you are ready to take on an apprentice_. _You have received excellent training from Whitestorm and you have shown yourself to be courageous and loyal. You will be the mentor of Swiftpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Swiftpaw."

Brightheart confidently nodded, "Yes, Firestar.

Firestar stepped back to allow the two to touch noses. Swiftpaw stared at her new mentor dubiously. Did her one eye prevent her from being an asset to the Clan? If the she-cat had ventured into BloodClan, she would bowed to, for a battle wound like that was an honor to bear.

Brightheart's eye glowed and she meowed, after their names had been chanted, "Would you like to start with a tour of ThunderClan?"

Swiftpaw shrugged and mewed, "I actually have explored every inch of the Clan..."

Seeing the perturbed and uncertain look on Brightheart's face, she quickly backtracked. "I mean, if you want to, let's."

"Okay," Brightheart replied, obviously relieved.

Her new mentor beckoned for her to follow her and began a trek around the borders and Clan. She began an explanation of the borders. When they finally got to the RiverClan border, Swiftpaw's heart began to pump faster. She scanned the river and its banks, hoping for a glimpse of the tom, Stormfur.

And she was rewarded. He sat fishing in the crook, where the water made a curve. She desperately scanned the undergrowth, looking for an adequate distraction. And it presented itself to her. She interrupted Brightheart and meowed, "Hey! There's a squirrel! Catch it."

Her mentor turned and saw the prey skittering low on the ground. She replied, "Well, bringing back prey would be good."

She rocketed off after it, leaving Stormfur and herself alone. He finally noticed her and drawled, "Well, if isn't the ThunderClan newbie."

She spat, completely ignoring his jibe, "You owe me an explanation!"

"Do I?"

"You are so-" she began.

"Attractive?"

She stared at him, openmouthed.

"No!" she spluttered. "What I mean to say is you are so promiscuous!"

"Am I missing something?"

"Yes! A sense of chivalry! The audacity! You flirted with me one minute, then the next flirted with your mate!"

He wrinkled his nose and meowed, "Feathertail's my sister!"

Her cheeks went red as he burst out laughing.

An aggressive she-cat hurtled beside Swiftpaw and snarled, "Quit mocking my apprentice!"

Stormfur just laughed harder, tears streaming from his eyes.

Brightheart huffed and herded her apprentice away from the river, to continue the tour. She passed a fat squirrel to Swiftpaw to hold and began talking about the Snakerocks or maybe it was the Sunningrocks. Anger forgotten, she began thinking of his amber-orange eyes and contagious laugh. But it was a relationship that couldn't be. Firestar had made it crystal clear that other Clan cats were off-limits. Why did all her loves have to be forbidden?

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><p>Bludgeon finally stopped and took a breath. He had the feeling a dark shadow, but his suspicions were yet unconfirmed. He stared at the alley he just come from and tentatively ventured back into it. He relaxed as he realized there was no one in the alley but him.<p>

He walked forward, feeling a bit more calm about his conversation with Shadow. Perhaps it wasn't a big deal. He had just convinced himself to return, when a paw slammed into his head, sending in his face downward.

Just before his head hit the pavement, he saw a dark outline of a cat standing behind him. Then there was only black and the oblivion of darkness.

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><p><strong>CLIFFHANGER! Duh duh duh! Plz R&amp;R! Am accepting OCs, but only as BloodClan warriors, and minor roles at that.<strong>


	7. Chapter 7

**First things first! Acknowledgments!**

**Flamestar00: Thnx 4 faithfully reviewing my story (as usual). I like SwiftxStorm more than SwiftxFire too! You won't even guess what's happening in Chapter 8!**

**Also, let's see if we can get this up to ten reviews, shall we? Anyway, enjoy! ;)**

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><p>Shadow stared at the gathering of cats she had arranged. She had called them for a key purpose: domination. She would grasp even more control over their pathetic brains and garner their loyalty with her following words.<p>

"I'm sure you're all wondering why you're here." She paused dramatically to see their spellbound faces, then continued. "The answer to that is simple. A corrupting force has infiltrated our ranks. It is...love, a mixture of weakness pity. Pathetic!"

Her sneer issued over the cats sitting below her. They began nodding agreeably. Shadow smirked and yowled, "Love is a disturbing thing. Many say it fuels our battle, but in fact, nothing is less true. For the most potent of emotions, is hate. Love clouds our minds and our decisions. Hatred, on the other paw, clears our hearts and cools our choices. So why have love at all? The answer my opposition supplies is that you cannot have kits without love. Well, that is not entirely true. Even for the most insignificant Fang, love can be a problem. So, I will choose your mate for you. Or rather one of my constituents."

Shadow wasn't completely sure that was the right word to use, but since no one seemed to know it meant, rather, they were confused and therefore cowed by it.

She raised her head as her cats chanted her name. But the brief sense of control and pride diminished as a familiar figure strode into the alley that served as her "throne room" and hissed furiously at Dark, one of the cats sitting behind her as her council, "You. You tried to kill me!"

* * *

><p>Bludgeon, dripping wet with icy water, stared angrily at Dark, and waited for him to respond to the allegations.<p>

Dark merely raised and eyebrow and arrogantly replied, "Do you have proof?" He knew Shadow would never convict him.

Shadow stared at the two toms, face expressionless.

Brick's son angrily opened his claws, and in between them, unmistakable dark fur was sticking out from them.

Dark yawned and meowed, "Is that all?"

The black and white tom spat, "Is that all? This is proof! Shadow!" He stared beseechingly at her.

She glanced at the dark tabby and with a nonchalant tone, she mewed, "Raven, would you be a dear and kill him?"

The brown tabby incredulously stuttered, "B-but, Shadow, w-why?"

She coolly responded, "Because you failed me, Dark and I never forgive those who fail me. In fact, I never forgive anyone."

The cats around them seemed to think she meant he failed her in that he tried to kill Bludgeon, but he and Bludgeon himself could see her meaning. She was angry _because _he didn't kill Bludgeon. He reluctantly leaped from the dumpster to the cobbled street.

Raven hesitantly walked towards him, and he growled aggressively, "I'll rip you into shreds!"

Her eyes hardened and with a snarl she snapped back, "You might, but I doubt it. You'll be too busy kissing Shadow's butt."

He growled, "Shut it, she-cat!"

She advanced and spat, "Why don't you? Your mouth hanging open is certain to attract flies."

He snarled, "That's enough!" Dark charged and, with anticipation, showed his fangs to intimidate her.

She sidestepped his swiping paws, and with a pounce, sneered, "See, that's exactly what I mean. I'm afraid that will never attract she-cats if you keep doing that the rest of your days. Which, I might add, are numbered."

His eyes opened wide as Raven dug her claws into his back and ripped parts of his flesh of, spurting blood all over her black pelt, and making her look somewhat like Shadow. He bucked her off and ferociously yowled, "That all you got?"

She smiled deviously and hissed, "No, it's not!"

He expected her to pounce on him, but instead she slid underneath his stomach and shoved her claws into his organs. He stifled a gasp and grimaced; the agony was almost too much to bear, but bear it he did, if you could call limping away bearing it. Mocking pity was on her face as she flipped him over and lowered her fangs to his exposed neck. He weakly kicked and clawed, but her teeth sank into his arteries, and soon there was only black, as he died from the fatal blow.

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><p>Swiftpaw trembled all over. Firestar was counting out the cats who went to the Gathering, and she was terrified. What reaction would the Clan cats have to her? Would they like her? The new queen Frostfur was glaring balefully at her, and Sandstorm was no better. Why the sandy-colored queen hated her, she knew not. Perhaps she was jealous of all the time Firestar spent with Swiftpaw? No. That couldn't be it, she was sure. Why would anyone be jealous of her? She had no chance with Firestar, and less with Stormfur.<p>

"And now, we will go!"

The fiery tom leaped from his perch and led the parade of cats to the FourTrees. Swiftpaw followed, Brightheart close behind. The white she-cat had grown fond of Swiftpaw during the short time they'd spent together, and it seemed as if she, Cinderpelt and Firestar were the only cats in the entire Clan that made her feel welcome.

They walked for some time before they reached the towering trees. She felt miniscule, compared to them. Brightheart glanced at her, amused. "It always feels majestic the first time. But you'll get used to it," her mentor meowed.

Swiftpaw felt a blush snake across her cheeks.

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><p>Raven padded down the hill beside Crescent. She'd never been to the Clans before, but from the descriptions Ravenpaw had made, she felt as if she knew. She tried to enjoy the scenery, but it all failed to distract her from the horrible fact she had just killed. And enjoyed it.<p>

_Adrenaline flooded through her, and she felt her ears burn. The taunt Dark had just made didn't discourage her, it only fueled her willpower. At first she'd been reluctant, but as the fight drew to a close, she wanted to kill him. To show him how miserable he really was. And what a cowardly fox-face. He tried to run whe he realized he was beat, which really was the kicker._

_Blood pulsed in her ears as Shadow, the accursed vixen, praised her, and in approval, declared Raven part of the council, only as an honorary member, of course. To become full-time, she'd have to prove herself as she spied on the Clans. She stood proud, but in her heart she wondered what Ravenpaw would have thought of her, as she stood above her kill, blood dripping from her? _

_It was only right that BloodClan should pay after his death she reasoned. Only just that member of its odious ranks had fallen to her paws in vengeance for his death. Only right..._

Those words echoed in her mind as Crescent murmured, "It's here. The Clans. I'll leave you here."

She nodded and began threading her way to the FourTrees.

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><p>Swiftpaw entered the Gathering, enjoying the scents as they flooded into her nostrils. A handsome tom bumped into her, and apologized profusely, "I'm sorry, I didn't..."<p>

He stopped as his eyes raked over her. She ducked her head and blushed. He smelled of windy breezes, which wasn't a terrible smell, but the clear coolness of water could never be beaten.

She threaded her way into the crowd and stopped when she saw Stormfur. He sat by a gray she-cat she recognized as Feathertail, and was whispering something in her ear. She plopped down beside him and purred, "Miss me?"

He turned and his eyes softened as he inched a little closer to her and replied, "More than you know."

She giggled softly and turned her head to avoid him seeing the ferocious blush that colored her cheeks. But, of course, he did anyway. "Is that a blush?"

His devious smile made her laugh, and it grew as Stormfur yawned arrogantly, "I tend to have that effect on cats."

Swiftpaw proudly meowed, "I'm a 'paw' now."

He teased, "Is that a good thing?"

"It is for me..."

"Awww, that's sweet."

She was about to whisper a retort when the Clan leader caterwauled, "Attention! The Gathering is commencing as the clouds uncover the moon!"

Blackstar was rewarded the honors first and he meowed, "ShadowClan is thriving after the unfortunate attack from BloodClan, and two new kits have arrived. They are Duskkit and Sharpkit. A new apprentice has been made. Rowanpaw! He is here today."

The Clan cats chanted his name enthusiastically. Swiftpaw found herself joining in. Then Leopardstar rose. She ferociously reiterated the Clan was healthy, and rebuked Blackstar when he made a snide remark on the condition of her normally silky fur.

Tallstar was just as insistent of his Clan's health, but she could see his ribs through his pelt.

Firestar was next. Even underneath the shadowy canopy, his red fur blazed, taking her breath away. Stormfur glanced at her, and a sour expression overtook his face. Firestar began calmly, "Our Clan is thriving as well. We have welcomed a new apprentice into our midst, Swiftpaw."

The cats around her murmured things about no mention of kits or the like.

But ThunderClan's leader was not to be intimidated. He stood strong as he meowed, "She is a rogue...from BloodClan."

Outraged yowls sounded from the crowd, and soon glares and scowls were thrown to her. Stormfur glared back and curled his tail around her protectively. Swiftpaw was conscientious of his pelt brushing. Feathertail giggled, but soon quieted as her leader shot a scowl at her. The other Clan leaders turned to Firestar. Leopardstar snarled, "Explain yourself Firestar! Why are you fraternizing with BloodClan? And...how is it still alive?"

He coolly retorted, "As if you never associated with BloodClan."

"ANSWER US FIRESTAR!" exploded Blackstar.

A cold voice answered, "That won't be necessary."

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><p>Raven had finally reached the Gathering...in the middle of a heated argument.<p>

She momentarily enjoyed the silence and the questioning glances before she leaped up to rock the four leader sat on.

"Hey," Tallstar exclaimed. "You have no-"

"I do actually," she cut in. "Well, if you want to survive, anyway."

"Just a mom-" Blackstar began.

Once more she interrupted, "Their leader's name is Shadow, by the way. I'll be back."

And with that, she disappeared into the darkness, travelling back to BloodClan, and leaving the Clans dumbfounded.

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><p>Swiftpaw was confused, but she got up to follow ThunderClan back to camp. Before she could, Stormfur pleaded, "Meet me here tomorrow night. Please?"<p>

She was shocked, but she gave a nod. He disappeared while she walked with her new Clan.

How could a love so pure be so wrong?

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><p><strong>So what do you think?<strong>

**Question 1. What is one of Shadow's skills in controlling her cats, besides a thirst for blood and a knack for killing?**

**Question 2. Do you think Raven is succumbing to Shadow?**

**Question 3. Do you like Swiftpaw and Firestar or Swiftpaw and Stormfur?**

**Question 4. Does Raven and Bludgeon appeal to you?**

**Question 5. Are Shadow's methods effective?**

**Question 6. Did Dark's death relieve you?**

**Question 7. Do you think Raven should've revealed more?**

**Plz answer those questions, and review! Thnx 4 reading! ;)**

**Also, sorry for the short chappie! If you thought it was, idk.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry. I really am. It's not my fault; I had school, chores (more b/c my brother went off to hunt to an undisclosed location) and I have to prepare for his party while he's off trouncing around that undisclosed location. So, sorry, once more.**

**Thnx to Ravenwing of Thunderclan: I like them a lot better than Raven and Ravenpaw, I just needed a reason for Raven to stay strong against BloodClan. Oops, I've said to much. XD**

**Also, you might want to skip a part of it, it's something you've read before in short...**

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><p>Shadow stared intently at the alleyway. She was desperate for a report from Raven. All she needed was terror in the Clans, and the war was as good as won. A smirk grew across her face as two Fangs came in dragging an unconscious tom into the alley. She knew who he was immediately. The insubordinate Hare, the speaker of the anti-Fangs. She flexed her claws with anticipation and leaped from her position. Dread sat up and mewled. Shadow's smile grew. This would be a fine opportunity to teach her daughter the best of emotions: hate.<p>

The Fangs dropped him on the ground; she purred, "Excellent work! Both of you are promoted, extra food for eight moons, perhaps longer if you help me with the execution."

Dread called, "Ma, what's happening?"

She answered, "Your first execution, my love."

The two Fangs looked at each other. One said accusingly, "I thought love was bad for our heads!"

Her smile dropped, replaced by a fierce glare. Shadow meowed, in a soft dangerous voice, "Love is bad for those with insignificant minds. But those who have been gifted with the favor of Scourge are high above the rest. I believe an apology is in order?..."

The cat, relieved, apologized, "I'm sorry for questioning your authority, Madame General."

She purred back, "Of course." She smiled, then lunged at him, claws outstretched, neck extended, fangs showing. It was a fearsome sight. The tom gave a yowl of terror and shrank on the ground as she dropped onto him. By now a large crowd had gathered. They gasped as she quickly bit into his neck and pulled out his trachea. He gurgled, blood pooling from his open wound and dripping from his mouth. Shadow screamed in triumph, yellow eyes wild with blood-thirst, black fur flecked with blood. The air was odorous with iron; the stench threatened to overpower all but Shadow.

Dread squealed in fear. Shadow turned to the tiny kit in anguish. She kicked the body aside and ran to her kit. The kit whimpered and shrank away. She desperately meowed, "Dread, it's me! Your mother...please..."

Dread quivered and shakily replied, "Was that my first execution?"

"Yes, dear. Perhaps you should've been a little older..."

The Fangs and cats under her rule watched as she soothed the kit. Dread's fluffy, black, kit fur began to lay down and her one blue and one yellow eyes began to calm. She pressed herself against her mother's fur and ignored the blood that pervaded her pelt and her nostrils.

Shadow groomed her kit and only stopped when the detainee stirred. She gave Dread an inaudible whisper and leaped down. She called, "Pine, take Dread away. She likes to visit Moss."

Then she turned merciless yellow eyes on the rebel. "Time to destroy the rebellion once and for all," she hissed.

* * *

><p>Sandstorm curled into a ball, thinking of Firestar. She had to tell him. She had to confer with Cinderpelt and Firestar. Then, maybe, he would understand the need to eliminate Swiftpaw. And if he didn't, she would.<p>

Frostfur let out a gentle snore. Sandstorm had come to regret the days she'd spent wishing for another roommate. She desperately missed her solitude. Frostfur was nice, but she always yammering about something. The constant chattering was almost unbearable; even in sleep, the white queen made noise: snores.

The sandy-colored queen rolled her eyes. Her heart jumped when Swiftpaw walked into the nursery. She let out a sigh when she realized the BloodClan filth was holding borage in her mouth.

The apprentice laid the leaves in front of Sandstorm, then padded slowly away. Sandstorm gave a sharp hiss which sent the cowardly cat . She narrowed her eyes and swallowed her herbs. The audacious she-cat acted so vulnerable, so innocent. She resolved herself to reveal the corrupted cat. She absentmindedly rolled on her side, and began to think of her dream.

Sandstorm thought of StarClan. Maybe, if she slept, they would reveal more. She closed her eyes mulled things over. It was terrible being the one to bear the dream.

_Sandstorm growled as she entered the gory battlefield. There, Shadowslink and Firestar were battling. As Firestar fell and Shadowslink raised a paw to deal the final blow, a gray blur charged in front of him._

_Before she could see what it was that saved her mate, the scene changed and she found herself in a strange Twoleg alley. A pretty she-cat that bore a striking resemblance to Swiftpaw was laying on the ground, two she-cats pressing their paws into her back. Then Shadowslink walked forward, saying, ""Willow, I believe you know why you are here?"_

_Willow, quivering, meowed fearfully, "I'm afraid I don't..."_

_"Well, be afraid, because what is happening here tonight will not be pretty."_

_"Why am I here?" She responded, voice barely more than a whisper._

_Willow turned her head to the stars and meowed, stronger this time, "Why am I here?"_

_The black she-cat uttered a guttural hiss, "Because of Swift, that insufferable little pile of fox dung!" Sandstorm's eyes widened. The Swift she was talking about couldn't possibly be Swiftpaw, could it?_

_She cringed. Trembling, she said softly, "What did she do, if I may ask...?"_

_Shadowslink whirled, and snarled fiercely, "This!" She revealed a bandaged wound down her side. "Your sniveling, pathetic, weak, little daughter had the nerve to do this!" She raked a claw down Willow's face and breathed, "She humiliated me in front of all! And for that...I'm taking away the thing she values most...you."_

_Her mouth agape, Willow attempted to inch back, Fang growled, "Do that again, why don't you?"_

_Sandstorm cringed as the burgundy she-cat twisted Willow's sensitive claw off; the blood was nauseating. Shadowslink stepped forward, a giddy, disturbing smile on her muzzle. "You're not used to pain, are you Willow? But I am. I have dulled my senses after the insidious Clans killed Scourge. Nothing can cause me pain. Not anymore... But you... You are weak, just like Swift. She couldn't even kill a kittypet. Pine? Would you like to introduce yourself?"_

_Sandstorm's mouth opened in surprise when her former friend mentioned Scourge. As far as she knew, the two had never had contact. Perhaps she didn't know as much as she thought. Then she gulped. The black she-cat had power over the cats, obviously. And she was capable of terrible things, indeed._

_A red she-cat stepped forward, mouth opened in a snarl. "Not a kittypet anymore. I'm Pine. I near killed Swift. Now, I kill you."_

_Willow's blue eyes widened in alarm and she screamed, as all four she-cats converged on her, ripping her into pieces, tearing into her and letting the blood flow. When she finally lay, unrecognizable, Pine did the most_ _disturbing thing possible. She lapped the blood from the warm corpse while Shadowslink crowed, "Let this be a day we_ _all_ _will remember! This is what happens to my enemies!"_

_The scene changed once more; Sandstorm felt a chill travel down her spine as the black she-cat once again approached her victim, this time a cream tabby tom with brown swirling patterns on his face. A scar crossed his face, discoloring one eye, and leaving his face an eyesore. He stirred, blearily glancing up to see the estranged black she-cat, whose yellow eyes were smoldering in a peculiar way._

_The murderess lunged, screeching, "Death to the Rebels! Death to the anti-Fangs!"_

Sandstorm woke in a cold sweat and vowed to never sleep again. She heaved herself up. It was time to tell Firestar. She padded out of the nursery and stared at Silverpelt, dark blue with stars sprinkling it. She nearly turned back, but if she didn't go to Firestar now, she never would.

* * *

><p>Swiftpaw trembled. She had awoken to Cinderpelt, begging her to give the borage to Sandstorm, because the greencough prevented her from visiting the nursery; her patients in dire need of attention.<p>

She had accepted, given the herbs to Sandstorm and fled the angry queen's scornful scowls. Then she'd traveled to FourTrees, to wait for the mysterious tom .She shifted from foot to foot, waiting for Stormfur. She had passed the day by distracting herself with training, and then had only come because she spent the whole time coming thinking of his brilliant smile. He couldn't not show!

Swiftpaw uneasily paced to and fro, jumping ten fox-lengths into the air when a masculine voice sounded out, "Why, hello. I was wondering when you would show."

She whirled to see Stormfur, standing in the middle of the clearing. She meowed back, "Me? I was wondering when _you_ would show! I've been waiting forever."

He replied, "Glad to see I made it, then."

He walked to her and nuzzled her. The young she-cat felt her heart thump harder. He laughed, "In BloodClan, you guys don't have a lot of friendly contact, do you?"

She flinched from the word, but answered, "We didn't, actually. We spent more of our time executing cats than having "friend" times."

"That must've been hard." His voice, if possible, got even warmer, and Swiftpaw replied, "It was, believe me."

"I do." The whole time, he had been getting closer, but now their pelts were brushing. On a whim, she leaned into Stormfur. The two spent the time in companionable silence until she asked, voice quiet and whispery, "Why aren't you afraid of me?"

He, bemused, wondered, "Why would I be scared of you? I mean, look at me, I'm an amazing warrior. But, really, all jokes aside, why would you think that?"

"Everyone else is. Because of BloodClan." She gave a nervous laugh and said, "You should've seen the way Sandstorm looked at me when I gave her borage."

He wrinkled his nose and asked, "You're not a medicine apprentice, right?"

She poked her nose in his fur and teased, "Don't you remember? I'm really hurt. I thought you would've remembered that little conversation at the river. And Brightheart shrieked at you. I thought she was going to blow a gasket."

He paused, "Oh."

"Quit dancing around the question. Why aren't you scared of me?"

Stormfur's voice was soft when he finally answered her. "I'm not scared of you...because I know you. I know you're kind and sweet and beautiful. I have never met a cat with a more gentle spirit and a sweeter disposition."

Swiftpaw's eyes sparkled. Not with excitement but with tears. She reached up and gently rasped her tongue over his ear. He purred, "I never want to love another cat."

Her heart felt as if it would explode with happiness. She teased, "I don't know, Firestar's looking pretty good right now..."

He recoiled and hissed, "Firestar!"

She laughed, even harder when his face turned cherry red. "Gee, I didn't know you'd get so mad."

He laughed along with her eventually. Swiftpaw laid her head on the ground and lied, "I don't love Firestar. Not at all. Besides, he has a mate."

Stormfur blushed even more and meowed, "I did overreact..." He sighed and laid by her. She closed her eyes and felt the warmth turn her drowsy. She remembered his tail curving around her before dreams took her.

_It was dark. A whispery shadow flitted across the black she-cat's face. No. Not face. Faces. A scowl, a glare, a terror. One of madness, one of calm. Swiftpaw felt her paws walking across hard pavement. Her voice, when it spoke, sounded wrong and rough. "Time to destroy the rebellion once and for all."_

_A screech sounded, "YOU! You fox-heart!"_

_It all was wrong...so very wrong. It was her, but it didn't feel like it. She raised a paw and gasped inside as she realized it was black. But another force was controlling the body. She walked forward, her mouth opening to show fangs. Intimidation purposes to be sure._

_Her teeth came crashing down on something. Iron was all she could taste as blood pooled in her mouth. She was faintly aware of a warm body against her. It wasn't her blood it was its, no doubt. She felt no pain. She felt nothing._

_A vicious pleasure blossomed in her heart. She ripped a large fang from its mouth and thrust it through a collar on her neck. It was clustered with teeth. A strange feeling overtook her. One of regret. As if the many deaths were a mistake. No. It was not the body's owner that felt that. It was the unconscious mind of another inhibitor - Swiftpaw. She blearily wondered what she was doing in Shadow's body._

_Avid emotions swirled. Her head hurt. Everything hurt. A handsome face. A dark alley. A red tom. A sandy queen. A small black tom. The blood, seeping from the ground. The battle. The wave of blood, threatening to overwhelm her._

Swiftpaw woke, eyes fluttering open in alarm. What had happened in her dream. A comforting presence soothed her. "Stormfur," she murmured. "Stormfur."

Then she shot up and yowled, "I have to get back to camp!"

She left a bewildered gray tom, who soon leaped up in equal fear, and left FourTrees as well. She crept into ThunderClan, regretting the night. Instantly she shook her head. That night was the most amazing thing she'd ever known. When could she see him again?

Finally she entered camp, bright with daylight. A drained Firestar greeted her, his eyes weary and troubled. Swiftpaw questioned, "Are you feeling alright?"

He weakly answered, "Yes."

Sandstorm waddled behind him, eyes dark with sympathy. She managed a curt nod, before turning back to Firestar.

The white-silver she-cat nodded back, and left the two in silence.

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><p>Firestar thought back on Sandstorm's dreams. He realized he had to go to the Moon Stone. He needed to speak to StarClan.<p>

Her fur brushed his, but the wave of love that rushed through him meant nothing. Not until it could be explained. If he would die, what was the point of living now?

A persistent voice spoke, _Because you love her. You love the kits in her belly. You love, and that is what makes you a cat. You cannot succumb now. Let love be your stongest weapon against the onpour of evil._

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><p><strong>So, what did you think? Should I change this rating from T to M?<strong>


	9. Chapter 9

**I'm sooooo sorry! You're probably wondering why I took forever to write this. I had a problem with my keyboard, where it looked a little like this: Th5s 5s n6t f4n! 5t's a 36t harder t6 read when 5t's 352e th5s. Y64 *r6bab3y th5n2 5'0 fa25ng, b4t 5'0 n6t, swear! Translation: This is not fun! It's a lot harder to read when it's like this. You probably think I'm faking but I'm not, swear! I accidently hit fn and number lock. ;)**

**Ok, so time to answer the reviews.**

**Ravenwing Of Thunderclan: I don't do lemons, b/c they make me uncomfortable. Keep R&Ring!**

**Anonymous: Awww, thnx! Ok, I'll keep it T. ;)**

**Malificent332: I love them 2gether! Thnx 4 reviewing, means a lot!**

**I have such a hard time with Firestar, he's such a Gary-Stu! **

**Enjoy!**

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><p>Raven jumped as Moss entered her nest, eyes glowing in a perturbing light. He glanced at the cobweb covered wound on her shoulder and meowed, "I'd better get a fresh poultice."<p>

As he left, she thought back on how she got that particular wound, mind troubled with the distinguishable feeling of guilt.

_Shadow screeched, "Death to the Rebels! Death to the anti-Fangs!"_

_She lunged onto the shocked tom and yowled, "Raven! Pine!"_

_The two rushed to her, one's green eyes narrowed with vicious anticipation, the other's blue eyes wide with fear. Shadow snarled and kicked the limp tom aside. "What a fighter," she sneered. Suddenly, the tom's eyes opened and he pounced on the unprepared Shadow. That proved to be mistake. She easily threw him off, raked a claw down his face and smirked at the line of blood dripping down. Then she turned away and spat, "Pine, Raven, kill him for me?"_

_The two nodded to each other and advanced on the now terrified tom. But instead of shrinking, as Raven expected, he steeled himself and unsheathed his claws. Pine leaped first, falling right into the cream-colored tom. He stared down in horror as blood spattered from her chest and his claws sank into her. He looked up to see Raven charging, exposing his neck. The so-called victim lying at his feet sprang up, fangs snapping into his jugular. The black she-cat pounced onto him while Pine, injured severely, continued to keep her hold on his neck. Red liquid flowed as Raven blindly ripped into his back, tearing strips of muscle and flesh from his bones. he still managed to rear up and slash her shoulder with a paw. The tom's screams of terror rang throughout the No-fur's city, sending cats into their dens, quaking with fear._

_Raven screeched in anguish as Pine went limp, blood bubbling out of her mouth. She dragged the red she-cat away from the still-warm corpse and pressed her nose to the former kittypet's fur, damp with the now-common red fluid that was threatening to swallow her into its treacherous claws. Shadow purred, "Well done."_

_Then her voice changed and she sneered, "I knew that kittypet was weak. Once a kittypet, always a kittypet."_

_Something flashed in her memory. A story from Ravenpaw...Tigerstar! That was his famous quote to Firestar. "Tell me, Shadow. Did you know a cat named Tigerstar?"_

_She stiffened and hissed, "Yes. Scourge, bless his name, killed him for the good of all. That cat was a slimy, silver-tongued charlatan. He obviously wanted to undermine Scourge's, bless his name, dominance."_

_Raven bowed her head, mind still racing with thoughts of Shadow and Tigerstar's relationship. She obviously had known the treacherous leader before Scourge, curse his name, had murdered him._

The she-cat winced as Moss came in with a fresh poultice. "Where did you get all this medicine?"

He replied, "Runningnose and Littlecloud from ShadowClan."

Raven nodded. Secretly, she rejoiced. She had new information for the Clans! And perhaps something to atone for her sins - the murder of two toms. She hesitantly asked, "How did Shadow come into the picture?"

He curtly answered, tone guarded, "If you want to know that, you'd better ask Brick or Fang. Or better yet, Shadow."

The mottled gray tom left, but soon another cat came padding in. Raven looked up, hoping for Crescent, but instead, Bludgeon stood there. "Hey. How are you feeling?"

She was surprised his tone was gentle. She shakily meowed, "I'm fine, I guess." He sighed and walked to her nest. The sleep-place was a collection of dumpsters with holes connecting each other, undoubtedly by some rat long ago. The No-furs had never removed it, so the cats must have thought it to be a safe place. But Raven felt anything but safe in the creepy, creaking home.

The tom's movement resulted in a squeaking noise that grated both their ears. Bludgeon mewed knowingly, "I know it's hard. The guilt is almost overwhelming. But you're not evil. You don't enjoy it, do you? Sometimes to survive you have to cruel things in a cruel world."

She glanced at him, surprised at his sad voice. He kept on talking, "One day I'm leaving. One day I'm finding a place where cats don't judge me based on who my father was, whether they think I'm a bloodthirsty killer or god-spawn."

Raven interrupted, "Who thinks you're god-spawn?"

He laughed, "When they turned Scourge into a martyr, they also turned him into a god. And Brick, Bone and Shadow as his closest circle believed themselves to gods as well. You probably think I'm insane. I drone on and on when I want to, don't I?"

She thoughtfully meowed, "I don't think you're insane, I know you're insane."

He sarcastically replied, "Well, don't I feel loved."

She tapped him on the shoulder with her tail and said slyly, "I'm sure you are, by someone."

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><p>Firestar began the long trek to the Moonstone, eyes dull. His mouth was dry from the hot wind, but bitter from the traveling herbs Cinderpelt had prepared. He had decided to go it alone, surprising Graystripe and the rest, but he felt the dreams StarClan shared with him were not to be shared. Sandstorm had once told him he talked in his sleep. He didn't need another cat to hear his dreams.<p>

He padded through WindClan, paws stinging from the briars and the burning ground. A sudden call jolted him out of his thoughts. It was Mudclaw and Onewhisker, one leering as if he had just caught a kit sneaking out of camp, the other admiration shining on his features.

Mudclaw growled aggressively, "What are you doing on WindClan territory, kittypet scum?"

Onewhisker rebuked him reproachfully, "He so happens to be the leader of ThunderClan, and he's obviously traveling to the Moonstone. Can you not smell the traveling herbs?"

The brown tom whipped his tail and snarled, "One day, _Rusty. _One day."

His companion shouldered him aside and muttered a quick apology. Firestar nodded, thinking of how he'd have to put the unruly brown tom in his place come next Gathering. But then his heart raced as the mountainous region where the sacred stone resided came into view. Its majestic rises and falls still took his breath away. The fiery tom strode confidently to the incline where one began the hike.

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><p>Sandstorm, fears alleviated slightly, laid on her comfy nest. She closed her eyes, certain nothing could go wrong on the delightfully sunny day. But a strange pain in her midsection let her worries flow. Another began. She supposed this was what a contraction felt like, never having giving birth before. The full realization hit her the moment after the sharp pain pierced her. She was giving birth.<p>

"Cinderpelt! CINDERPELT!" Sandstorm screamed.

The gray she-cat rushed in. "Is it coming?"

The queen nodded her head fervently and gave a strangled meow, "Get Frostfur."

Another gray tom stuck his head into the nursery opening and began in annoyance, "Quit with the racke-"

She screeched at him, "Fox-dung! I'm giving birth here you stupid tom!"

Graystripe paled and backed away slowly. Or attempted to. "Get back in here you mangy badger-face!"

He sighed heavily and reluctantly padded to her side.

Cinderpelt coaxed, "It's okay, Sandstorm. The first one is on its way."

"Make it come faster useless she-cat!"

The medicine cat flinched and hurriedly coaxed the first kitten out of the queen. It fell out, bringing a maw-full of bodily fluids with it. The sandy cat uttered a short screech and snarled, "Keep it up!" She turned to Graystripe, who was trying not to throw up, and snapped, "Quit acting like you're constipated! Do something you mange-pelt!"

Cinderpelt snapped, "Quit screeching and lick your kit clean."

Sandstorm snatched up her kit and licked it furiously. She pressed it to her chest and shrieked as the second arrived. She grabbed it and yowled, "Frostfur get your mangy pelt over here and get me a stick!"

The white queen tumbled in and wearily gave her friend the much-needed tool.

Finally the third arrived and Sandstorm gasped, "Firestar and I discussed every possible outcome. This one is Squirrelkit, this one is Leafkit...and this one is Whitekit."

Cinderpelt wrapped a tail around her friend and meowed reassuringly, "They're all beautiful."

All of the cats looked up when Bramblepaw peered in. "Was this the cause of that cacophony?"

Cinderpelt nodded and meowed, "They must get it from their mother."

Sandstorm gasped and retorted, "Well I'm glad you can't have kits. With you as a mother they'd grow to be sarcastic things."

The two shared a laugh.

The now mother pulled her kits together and purred, "All of you are my darling angels. You will grow to be the most important cats in all the Clans."

**If only they knew how true that was.**

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><p>Shadow curled her tail around her own kit and rumbled, "My Dread. You are the most important thing in the world to me. I...love you."<p>

The tiny kit purred and snuggled into her mother. Her eyes closed, as did Shadow's.

_Scourge purred as she wrapped her tail around him. Eyes round, she waited breathlessly as he began, "Shadow, I haven't known you long, but I know you are my soul mate. Would you do me the honor of becoming my mate?"_

_Shadow blinked in shock and squealed, "Of course! I've waited so long!" She laid her head under his and continued softly, "I love you."_

_He whispered, voice sweet and silky, "I love you too."_

Her eyes fluttered open. Rage poured from her as she remembered what had happened to Scourge. What had been done to Scourge. She shot up, fresh fury in her every step. The tom! The red tom! Firestar! She had become complacent, enjoying her executions, forgetting why she was leading the Fangs in the first place. The attack had been postponed. She would have to...push it forward. No matter how many kits she had at her disposal.

The black she-cat lashed her tail, snarling in disgust.

Firestar would fall!

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><p>Firestar, in the meantime, was cautiously padding to the entrance of the cave that housed the Moonstone. The darkness called him in, but the soft light issuing from the glowing stone beckoned.<p>

He sighed, relief written plainly on his handsome features; pressed his nose to the cold stone and let his mind drift to the silvery meadows and glens of StarClan.

_Firestar stood in the ThunderClan camp. It was its usual bustling self; Frostfur and Sandstorm talking quietly in the dappled light streaming from the canopy above, Graystripe organizing patrols, elders telling the kits stories...Wait, kits?_

_Three, one with flaming fur much like his own, one a gray and black tabby, and one with a blazing white pelt; all crowding before his very own: Sandstorm. He couldn't believe he missed the birth of his kits! A voice shook him out of his troubled thoughts._

_"I knew you'd come." He turned to see a familiar blue-gray she-cat with knowing eyes._

_"Bluestar!" Firestar gasped. She inclined her head and meowed, "Dark forces stir against you. Revenge is its only motive."_

_He impatiently replied, "I know who my enemy is. It's Shadowslink."_

_Bluestar shook her head and whispered, "She is only the beginning. The beginning of the end. Already she gathers her forces. If you fall now, you will never survive what comes next. Do not overestimate yourself! Tigerstar was a kit compared to the monster you now face!"_

_He turned away and stared, perturbed, at his kits. Then Firestar glanced back to see his former mentor had disappeared. He sighed and looked back at Sandstorm. Suddenly, blood seemed to pool on the ground as unfamiliar cats surged into camp. The cats were overwhelmed, bodies drenched as they fell. He blinked and screeched when his kits were taken, collars with teeth embedded flickering in a ghostly image. His eyes widened as their own narrowed. The three opened their maws; blackness began to flow from them. _

_It swirled around him, and suddenly Firestar shot up and saw the ThunderClan camp from a sky view. A black paw slammed down on it, leaving a bloody paw-print behind. He gasped as claws pricked his throat. Yellow eyes glaring down at him was the last thing he saw before his mind fell into oblivion._

He gasped, terror paralyzing him.

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><p>Swift paced at the river, anxiety weighing her down. Did she really think this would ever work? No. But she had to try. She'd never felt so light around anyone else. Not even Firestar.<p>

Her head drooped as it seemed as if he would never come. But then, he was there. It was as if he had transported himself in a flash. Stormfur purred, "Miss me?"

She chirped in delight, "Yes!" Then the she-cat gave him a stern glare and meowed accusingly, "You're always late!"

He rolled his eyes and said, "I'm never late. You're just early."

"As if."

"That was the most mind-blowing comeback ever."

They burst out laughing. The tom carefully padded into the river and pressed his nose to hers. Swift felt a blush coming as he nuzzled her and winked. Stormfur walked to his side of the border and meowed, "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you more."

"But I'll miss you most."

She smiled to herself as Stormfur disappeared from sight. She could only assume the bubbly feeling in her chest was love. It had to be.

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><p>Raven shifted uncomfortably as Fang snarled to Shadow, "How did that little fur-ball become apart of the council?" The council, with newly added Raven, sat upon Shadow's dumpster, spread in a circle.<p>

Shadow coolly replied, "She gained my trust."

The cream-colored she-cat pressed, "But how can you? For all we know, she's a traitor."

Her leader bared her fangs and hissed, "Raven is a valuable member of the Fangs. If you don't want my teeth in your neck, shut up on the subject!"

She hissed and turned away, sending Raven an evil glare. The she-cat sulked while the conversation continued. "Tonight," the black she-cat meowed, "You will return to the Clans. Make them sound...doomed. Instill fear in their hearts. And make sure to give away the exact date of my attack."

Raven's face was plastered with shock. Fang sneered, "What? Cat got your tongue?"

Shadow sent her a dirty look and waited for her constituent's answer.

"Why would you want me to tell them that? Won't that give them time to prepare?" Though she had every intent to give the real date, she was suspicious of her "leader's" motives.

She gave a forced laugh and hedged, "My army is so large and well-trained, their preparation would be futile."

A sudden voice made her jump. It was Glaze. "Mummy."

"Why is Glaze on the council?" Raven grimaced and edged away.

Shadow sneered, "I like watching everyone squirm." Her voice was thick with malice.

The tom's eyes glazed over as he murmured, "Mummy brings me food."

She averted her eyes and meowed to Shadow, "I'll go tonight."

Bludgeon reminded her, "It's not a Gathering."

She shrugged, unconcerned. "You know how those ThunderClan cats are. The news will be out before I am."

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><p><strong>So, what did you think? This was not my best, but I promise the next chapter will be more entertaining. Plz R&amp;R!<strong>


	10. Chapter 10

**Bobbie finally decided to put you out of your misery. I'm thinking of changing my name. I'm a girl...so. **

**OK, time to reply! (My fave part!)**

**Ravenwing of Thunderclan: Awww, thanks!**

**Ruby: Do you always say cool? Is that your thing? XD ;)**

**DarkWolfScourge: Sorry it took so long! ;)**

**blackclaw57: It lights up my day whenever anyone says stuff like this!**

**I've decide to update when I get 21 reviews. I see other authors demanding 200, so this shouldn't be too hard. Enjoy!**

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><p>Bludgeon stared grimly at his master, eyes narrowed in malice. Shadow hissed quietly, "Is Raven ready?"<p>

He nodded but hesitated. "Shadow, do you really think it's wise to leave the news to ThunderClan? Why not all of the Clans?"

She curled her lip and snarled, "Finesse is not your best quality, is it, Bludgeon?"

He ripped his claws into the ground and winced inwardly as they struck the hard stone. She continued, "I trust Raven's opinion. My decisions should not be questioned, especially by you. We both know how close you came to death. I will not hesitate to do it again. And this time, you will die."

Her eyes had a hard glint; they shone with malevolence. He whipped his tail and padded away. A cold breeze ruffled his fur. Bludgeon threaded his way through the masses of wandering cats. A clump of grass had shoved its way through the No-fur path; causing him to trip. The wind picked up and blew leaves, pushing them and swirling them through the air. Lights seemed to flow with the wind. The gales moved in circles, building in power until it was only a gray blur in front of him. When the gusts quieted, and the rough material had fallen, a strange she-cat stood before him.

Her fur was glistening, but not with water. It was shiny like the stars, almost transparent, but still holding a blue-gray color. Blue eyes sparkled with wisdom and seemed to bore through his pelt. He gasped. What was this cat?

She dipped her head and meowed in a husky voice, "I know who you are, Bludgeon."

The tom in question aggressively thrust his head forward and snarled, "And who am I exactly?"

She viewed him and gave a snort of derision. "I would think it would be obvious. You are Bludgeon, son of Brick and Bone. But you are not them. There is something that went wrong with you, isn't there?"

He shrank back in shock. She couldn't know about it.

_Bludgeon was a kit. A tiny kit, fresh out of his mother's nest. He joyfully padded beside his mother, a burgundy she-cat, and squeaked, "I'm so excited to be exploring BloodClan! This will be so much fun!"_

_She barely glanced at him, instead increasing her speed and pointing out the various landmarks. "That is Shadow, goddess and leader of BloodClan. She is perched on her throne. It is a strange No-fur device that opens on the top. That is Fang, your aunt. I expect you'll be meeting those two soon."_

_His eyes widened as he saw the two, standing and shining gloriously in the sun. Shadow's black fur contrasted with his aunt's cream-colored pelt. He gave a big grin to the black she-cat when she glanced at him, and started in surprise as she gave a hiss and turned away. He shook his head in confusion and hurried to catch up with his mother, who by that time had already walked out of the main alleyway and into the maze of them. _

_Brick hadn't noticed he was gone. She had continued down the paths and only realized his disappearance when he informed her of it. "Mother, why does Shadow hate me?"_

_She meowed, "Call me Brick. 'Mother' is a word that invokes…affection. Shadow doesn't hate you. You are a threat to her."_

_Bludgeon cocked his head in bewilderment and inquired, "Why is affection bad? Why am I threat to a goddess?"_

_His mother shook her head and meowed, "You, little kit, are much too young to understand these things. Wait, while I discuss something urgent with Dark."_

"_Who's Dark? Mother?" He called after her. She snapped her head back and snarled, "I told you not to call me that!"_

_A dark tabby tom with smoldering yellow eyes met her in the alley. They began talking, most likely a heated argument, which he inferred from their scowls._

_He plopped down patiently and began watching the cats milling about with interest. A fawn-colored tom glanced at him, turned and then whipped around in shock. Bludgeon stared as the stranger as he hurtled toward him. "Kit," he gasped, "You must listen. BloodClan is not what it seems. Your father was evil. He was no god, no matter what your prevaricator of a mother says! He killed good cats. His death is not to be avenged. Listen to me!"_

_Bludgeon gazed up at the tom and pondered this. By this time, Brick had noticed the tom standing before her son, and she knew exactly who he was. One of the Rebels. She charged towards them and delivered and blow to the back of the cat's head. He fell forward with a screech and tried to get up. But Brick scored her claws through his throat and watched with a smirk as his blood dropped with his head. Now Bludgeon knew the truth. He backed away and stared at his mother with apprehension. _

_She rolled her eyes and hissed, "He was a murderer. I only did what I had to. He would've killed you!"_

_The kit had never before noticed how sharp and ghastly her claws were. He had never before noticed the shards of ice in her words or the cold glint in her eyes. He gulped and nodded submissively. She whirled around and marched back to the tom who Bludgeon assumed was Dark. He shivered and curling into a ball, all thoughts of being a great BloodClan warrior forgotten. Now thoughts of his nefarious mother and the no doubt nefarious whole of BloodClan pervaded his mind._

_Fear threatened to overwhelm him, but his resolve grew stronger. He had to look strong and unyielding. He had to twist them around his paw. To make them think he was one of them. But he wasn't. He looked up to his mother's bloody claws. Not anymore._

The she-cat murmured, "I know. StarClan has watched you from the time you were a kit. We were anxious to see whether you would present a threat or not. As it turns out, you are an asset."

Bludgeon recoiled and snarled, "How dare you! How dare you treat me like your means to your end? I am not someone you can boss around and preach your morality to. I am not your asset."

She turned away and meowed, "I am Bluestar. I know you are untrusting. I know you think I only want you to help me, but I want to help you to. I'm not an evil cat."

He turned and said bitterly, "Why should I help you?"

"You'd be helping Raven…"

Bludgeon glanced back and replied, "What do you need?"

* * *

><p>Brick narrowed her eyes. The she-cat padded to a body and kicked it aside. After Bludgeon had left Shadow, the she-cat had thrown an enormous tantrum, murdering half of the prisoners that had just been brought in. Blood drenched her paws; she wrinkled her nose in distaste. The blood blended with her burgundy fur, but it still looked brighter than her usual color.<p>

She sneered at the cowering cats that made up the remnant of the hostages. They pressed themselves against an alley wall and puffed their fur out, blood droplets flecking their pelts. Brick gave a smirk as one hissed, "You are the scum of earth!"

She snarled back, "Who's really the scum of the earth? The cats whimpering against a wall, or the cats that are winning this war?"

The tom who had spoken up showed his fangs and retorted, "The oppressors!"

She snickered and launched herself forward to him. Brick closed her fangs around his scrawny neck and enjoyed the fear on all of their faces. The she-cat dropped the body and meowed, "Who wants to die next?"

None of them moved. She grinned viciously. "I thought so."

More Fangs circled the cats, herding them into a manageable sphere formation. Brick raised her head as a chilly breeze blew and strange twinkling lights swirled with them. She blinked and shook her head, turning her attention back to the Fangs, who were expectantly waiting for commands. It was merely a trick of the light. An illusion. Perhaps she was tired.

Brick yowled, "Sort them by gender, then age!"

The Fangs smoothly separated the cats one by one, asking their ages. When one failed to comply, two Fangs would rush her, hold her down and deliver a technique that had proved very effective over the moons. A claw would be torn off. It was vicious, painful and cruel true, but it made their subjects pliable, a desirable trait.

Screeches of pain rang out. Brick noted that the cats quieted down very quickly. It gave her a sense of satisfaction.

She glanced up and realized Shadow had appeared besides her, too watching the spectacle. "It is nice to have such ease. One would think they never caused trouble in the first place. Easy to quell…" Her lip curled in disgust.

Brick flicked her tail and rested it on her leader's shoulder. Smiling, she meowed, "Just think, a few more days like this, and there won't even be a rebellion to worry about."

Shadow shook her head wearily and glanced at the gray clouds gathering above. "Rats! Rain. Brick, you don't get it. There will always be usurpers to my throne. Even if they act as if they are one of us."

Brick wrinkled her nose and thought she detected a hint of warning? Perhaps a promise? She couldn't tell, though it still sent a feeling of anger flooding through her. She knew Shadow didn't trust Bludgeon, and most likely never would. She herself knew Bludgeon had no pretentions towards Shadow's position. She didn't know if he had an ambitious bone in his body. So unlike his father…

The burgundy she-cat shook her head once more and whispered back to Shadow, "Bludgeon presents no threat to your position, I assure you. He is nothing like Bone. Not at all."

Shadow coolly replied, "We'll see."

Brick felt a flicker of resentment towards her leader. Who was she to judge her son? To tell him what he could and couldn't be?

She curled her tail around her paws and turned her head to see cats gathering around the execution. A brown tabby she-cat shoved a blue-gray she-cat in front of the crowd.

The victim stood strong, but winced as her attacker slashed a horizontal line across her flank. As the Fang lunged to sink her teeth into the cat's soft flesh, she sidestepped and brought her own claws on the Fang.

The tabby screeched in pain as blood dripped off her face. The rebel started forward with a scared but determined look on her face. Shadow watched, expressionless. Then, another rebel gathered his courage and flew at the battling pair. A yowl rang out as the Fang found herself sinking under the combined effort.

Shadow leapt off her perch and leisurely strolled to the fighting threesome. She gave a snarl and scored her white claws down the Fang's back. The tabby gave a howl of pain and turned desperately to see her leader converge on her. "Why?"

Shadow casually replied, "Because you failed me…and I do not accept failure."

A quick, well-placed bite to the throat would've killed her on the spot, but Shadow liked to draw things out. She signaled to the rebels to back away. They glanced at each other and gave a small nod, melding into the group of so-called rebels.

Shadow sank her fangs into the tabby's neck, but she made sure not to hit the jugular or a major artery. A bit of blood trickled from the wound, but was small, probably survivable. She didn't stop there, but kept her grip and used her forepaws to press into her victim's shoulders. The she-cat resisted, but Shadow persisted, now pulling with her teeth and pushing with her paws. The tabby screamed as her tormentor ripped the flesh she had held in her jaws.

Blood flooded from the open wound. Shadow kicked the body aside and snarled, "This is exactly what happens to failures…and rebels! Bow to me, and you will live. Oppose me and all Scourge will break loose!"

The cats immediately pressed their foreheads into the ground, fear-scent coating the air. Shadow breathed in deeply and meowed with satisfaction, "Don't you just love the scent of fear?"

The black she-cat padded away, yellow eyes burning. Brick's gaze followed her master before snapping back to the Fangs. "Well, what are you waiting for? The new recruits need collars!"

The cats bustled away, each herding one ex-rebel. Brick swiveled her head to see Bludgeon reappearing. His posture was docile, but a fiery light was in his eyes. She narrowed her own as she watched her son.

Her paw-steps were light across the cobbled as she followed her son.

* * *

><p>Swiftpaw placed her paws firmly on the ground staring straight up at Firestar as he cleared his throat and began, "Swiftpaw, it has come time to declare you a warrior. Brightheart, has she proved herself to be loyal and courageous?"<p>

Brightheart gave a solemn nod and purred, "She has."

He raised his head to the sky and called, "Then I call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this young cat, and make her a warrior. Your name will be Swiftstor—"

"Wait just a minute!" Swiftpaw gasped as a bristling Stormfur followed by Leopardstar, Mistyfoot, Feathertail and few other warriors from RiverClan she'd never met charged in.

"Just what is the meaning of this?" Firestar gave a loud hiss.

Leopardstar meowed haughtily, "We're taking Swiftpaw with us."

Firestar's whiskers twitched as he angrily replied, "She's a former BloodClan. No threat to any of you!"

Mistyfoot gave a short laugh and mewed, "We're not here to take her prisoner, we're—"

Stormfur interrupted, "We're here take her home."

Swiftpaw nuzzled him and purred, "Of course."

Firestar, looking stricken, spat, "What is the meaning of this?"

"Firestar, Swiftpaw and I love each other. I know what happened with Graystripe and Silverstream. I cannot subject her to that."

He spluttered, "We'll fight you!"

Feathertail laid her tail lightly on his shoulder, and in a soothing tone meowed, "Swiftpaw _wants_ to come with us. She loves him."

Swiftpaw touched Firestar's nose with her own and mewed, "I'm sorry, but my heart belongs to the river…and to Stormfur."

Cinderpelt catapulted into Swiftpaw, and cried, "I'm going to miss you! Promise you'll stick around Gatherings so we can talk!"

Swiftpaw tearfully let her friend go, and started when Sandstorm padded up, kits trampling the elders now that their mother couldn't reprimand them. The queen meowed quietly, "Good-bye. The kits…appreciated you playing with them."

The apprentice nodded as one by one, the rest of her Clan-mates said their goody-byes. Frostfur passed by, sticking her nose straight in the air. Brightheart was the most emotional of all the cats, exceeding even Cinderpelt.

When everyone had given her their farewells, Stormfur gently put his tail around her and led her away, to the river. He talked low to her, "So, were you surprised?"

"Yes. A lot," she giggled.

Stormfur meowed, "You'll have to train for a few moons, then you'll have a warrior name."

She pressed her body to his and purred, "I don't care, as long as we're together."

They reached the bank and dived in one-by-one. Swiftpaw didn't hesitate. In a second, she had plunged into the depths, and was swimming as if she had all her life. She raised her head above the water and called, "I knew there was a reason I can't catch mice or squirrels!"

Stormfur snuck up behind her and tickled her with his tail.

She laughed and spiraled in the water, only coming out when Leopardstar yowled, "We have to leave, to camp."

Stormfur lapped the dripping water off her and gave a mischievous grin when he "accidently" nudged her side a little hard. She gave him a playful kick and followed the leader and the deputy as they made their way to the camp.

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><p><strong>Pretty sappy, huh? Sorry! Again, just to reiterate, 21 reviews. <strong>


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